


Secrets of the Castle - The Story of Rose Dumbledore: Book 1

by evenharts_pride



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 1: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Depression, Drama, Gen, Harry Potter - Freeform, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-07-24 19:36:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 34,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16181783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/evenharts_pride/pseuds/evenharts_pride
Summary: What if Albus Dumbledore had a granddaughter? A story of Rose Dumbledore, inspired by Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling.Rose Dumbledore, the daughter of a death eater, David Evenhart, and Rosalie Dumbledore. The Dark Lord fears her power, so decides to kill her. Antonin Dolohov is the one to fulfill this task. Rose attends Hogwarts along with Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley. How will their story pan out?





	1. Rose

It was a very gloomy evening. It was very late when David Evenhart and his wife, Rosalie, sat in the living room after putting their little girl to sleep.

Rosalie and David loved each other above everything, he has left the Dark Lord’s army for her. She forgave him his the most terrible crimes, being a Death Eater. They were in love since they’ve met at Hogwarts. She was sorted in Gryffindor and he, as every member of his family, in Slytherin. David Evenhart was a very handsome man. He was tall, had black hair and facial hair. When he was attending Hogwarts he was the Seeker of Slytherin. He was the best friends with Severus Snape, who along with him joined Voldemort and his army. He despised Gryffindors besides Rosalie who was best friends with Lily Evans. The same Lily Evans Severus Snape fell in love with. Rosalie knew who David was, but loved him anyway. Her father had a different opinion on this matter. He wasn’t very fond of David at all, watched him carefully as he was teaching at Hogwarts, being its headmaster at the same time. Albus Dumbledore disapproved their relationship, told his daughter that she should have found someone better than David Evenhart. Dumbledore suspected David of being a Death Eater as he knew the history of his family very well. House of Evenhart as house of Black was one of the oldest house of wizards. He knew his brother, Amadeus, attended Hogwarts as well as he was only five years older from David and knew they were sympathising with Voldemort.

‘Rosalie, I do not think it’d be a good idea to be in relationship with David Evenhart,’ said Dumbledore when his daughter had come to visit him at his office and told him that David had asked her to be his girlfriend.

‘What? Dad, he came to me with a bouquet of roses! My favourite flowers! We’ve been meeting for months and just now he asked me to be his girlfriend. He’s a decent man! I love him, dad. Why do you disapprove?’ she asked, looking at him with her light blue eyes, surprised.

‘Rosalie,’ said Dumbledore seriously, straightening out in his chair. ‘David Evenhart is not a decent man as well as his family isn't. Everyone served to Voldemort and now, when he came back I’m sure David and his family serve him as well, because they were, are and always will be loyal to him. Do not trust David Evenhart. He may not have good intentions towards you.’

‘What are you talking about?’ asked Rosalie.

‘Have you ever thought that he was dating you, because you’re my daughter? What if Voldemort,’ he was saying while getting up from his chair, ‘wants him to seduce you and in this way he’d gain my trust and be closer to me?’ Rosalie felt tears springing to her eyes. She was about to cry, she knew and felt it. Her father’s words hurt, she didn’t expect him to hurt her so much. She loved David utterly.

‘What if he joins the Order?’ asked she.

‘I will never agree on it, Rosalie,’ Dumbledore replied, standing in front of his daughter.‘Rosalie, I’m not saying this to hurt you. I -,’ he didn’t manage to finish his sentence because his daughter ran out from the room. He could hear her cry behind the door, then there was silence.

Now, they were sitting together in the living room, hugging and kissing. They were smiling to each other and repeated, like teenagers, ‘I love you. I love you, too.’ It was March 3rd 1981. Their daughter Rose was born on March 5th last year. Rosalie gave birth while her husband was on a mission, freelanced by the Dark Lord. That night when his wife was giving birth to his daughter, David Evenhart accomplished his task. He and other Death Eaters were appearing in front of the Muggle houses and killed their inhabitants. David Evenhart killed the most of them. That night, he killed over 60 muggles. Soon, he was arrested by the Aurors and sent to Azkaban when he was awaiting the trial. Rosalie begged her father to be his defensor at court. Dumbledore didn’t want to agree, knowing that David was guilty of this macabre he had done.

‘Father, I’m begging you,’ Rosalie was saying with tears in her eyes, ‘He’s my husband, your son-in-law, father of my daughter. I need him. I can’t raise my child alone having my husband in Azkaban. I won’t handle it. If he’s gonna be sentenced to death –‘

‘Rosalie, he’s guilty and there’s no doubt he’s gonna be sentenced.’

‘Dad, I won’t survive if he’s executed. Please, I’m begging you. Do it for me. Not for him but for me,’ she said, crying. ‘For me and Rose. Please.’

‘You want me to lie in front of the court that he didn’t do that? Rosalie, everyone knows he did. They’ve checked his wand. Avada Kedavra was casted about 60 times. He killed those people -'

‘Please, do something,’ said she, barely stopping tears. After a while she stopped crying and her face went cold. Her eyes expressed fury, ‘Steal his wand and erase the curse.’ Albus looked at her, bewildered. His irises widened, for a moment he had no clue how to reply to that. He had never seen his daughter like that before. There was something wild in her eyes, something dark.

‘Rosalie –‘

‘Do it or you’ll never see me and Rose again. I know the members of your Order work in there. One of them can do it. They’re so loyal to you, they’d never betray you. You won’t do anything, only the person you ask for it will. No one will suspect you.’

Suddenly, Dumbledore’s face was emotionless. He approached his daughter and looked into her eyes coldly, ‘Never Rosalie – Never threat me this way and do not involve Rose in this. David has to be punished.’

‘What if he leaves Death Eaters? What if he leaves them and will join your Order? I’ll talk to him. I’ll talk some sense into him.’

‘Then I may consider your proposition. For this time, watch what you’re saying, Rosalie. Because you don’t wanna hurt you daughter, I believe,’ Dumbledore headed upstairs to his granddaughter’s room.

She was sleeping peacefully in the cradle he had given her daughter and his son-in-law as a gift when Rose was born. It was one of the most beautiful cradles the world has ever seen. Hand-made from elder wood with sculptured phoenix on its headboard. Over Rose there were hanging colourful owls, ‘My little Rosie,’ he sighed, smiling softly. ‘You’re the only one who can cheer me up each time when I look at you. No matter if I’m sad, or angry … When I look at you everything seems to have no meaning. There’s only you,’ he chuckled silently, ‘You look exactly like your mum,’ in the very same moment Rosalie entered the room. ‘I just hope – I just hope, my dear Rosie, that you’ll be safe and know no suffering,’ he kissed her forehead, then turned around. He saw his daughter crying again.

‘I’m so sorry, dad. I’m -,’ she took a deep breath and continued, barely staying calm, ‘I’m just desperate. David is everything to me, he’s the father of my child. I’d do anything for him.’ Albus approached and comforted her with a hug. He was caressing her hair like when she had been a little girl. He was miserable to see suffering of his daughter, what she was going through and wanted to help her. But was he ready to break his moral rules for her? He loved her with all his heart and would die for her if needed.

‘If you convince David, sweetheart, I promise you I’ll defend him at court.’

‘Really?’ she asked, looking at him with hope in her eyes. Dumbledore nodded, ‘Thank you, dad.’

⸿

In the dark, old room of Riddle Manor there was a meeting of Death Eaters. Everyone was sitting around the table, without David Evenhart. His brother, Amadeus, and also his best friend, Severus Snape were there as well. Their faces did not express anything, it could be even said that everything was irrelevant for them. Next to Amadeus was Rudolph Lestrange with his wife. Severus was sitting on the opposite of Amadeus. Next to him, Lucius Malfoy with his wife, Narcissa.

‘My dear friends,’ said the voice of a wizard as he was getting up from his distinguished seat, ‘I guess you’re wondering why I’ve summoned you,’ Lord Voldemort started to walk around his seat. ‘Do you know what I found out today?’ each of Death Eaters listened carefully. ‘I found out that Muggle Loving Fool’s daughter is married to this traitor David Evenhart!’ saying that he looked at Amadeus. ‘WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME?’ the wizard hissed, glaring at the man with his red eyes.

‘I had no idea, my Lord.’ 

‘You had no idea,’ he snorted. ‘You are brothers and yet you had no idea ...’

‘I swear, my Lord!’ Amadeus said, clearly getting nervous. He admired the Dark Lord too much to ever lie to him.

‘I believe you. I know you’re telling the truth. You’d never betray me as opposed to your BROTHER,’ he hissed the last word with rage. ‘But this is not the end, my friends. Guess what! They have a daughter,’ suddenly, the wave of whispering resounded around the room. Dumbledore has a granddaughter? David Evenhart has a daughter and is married to Dumbledore’s daughter? How is that possible? ‘Yes, my friends. Do you know what that means? We cannot let her become as powerful as Dumbledore. No one will become like this Fool who believes he can fight me again. I cannot risk. Not now. One of you will do it. One of you will kill the girl. Who wants to be granted the honour of killing Dumbledore’s granddaughter?’

‘Master,’ said Bellatrix. ‘I will do it. I want to kill the girl.’

‘No, Bellatrix. I know you’d fulfil the task, but someone who’s never had such a mission yet,’ he looked at Rudolph, Amadeus, then at Snape, Lucius and his wife, the Carrows, Carcarrow, Yaxley and few others.

‘Antonin,’ Dolohov raised his head. ‘You’ll do it.’

‘My Lord,’ said Snape suddenly. ‘Forgive me, but even Dumbledore’s daughter is not as powerful as him. How can you be sure that the girl will be? In the end, she’s a Pure Blood.’ 

‘I am not going to risk, Severus. She has his blood in her veins, there’s always a risk.’ 

⸿

Evenharts got up from the couch and were about to go to bed when suddenly the door were forced and landed on the floor with a loud bang. In the threshold, David saw Dolohov.

‘ROSALIE, TAKE ROSE AND HIDE!’ shouted Evenhart, pulling his wand immediately and starting to fight with a Death Eater. Antonin Dolohov had stood in front of him and cast Crucio at David who managed to strike off the spell.

‘Well, well, well, David,’ said Antonin. ‘No one expected you to fuck Dumbledore’s daughter, you know? You should see the Dark Lord’s face expression when he found out. When WE found out, even your brother did not know a thing. Hmm, that’s a shame.’

‘That’s why you’re here? To kill me for betrayal?’

‘I’ll do it by the way, but I’m not here because of you. I’m here to … kill your daughter,’ immediately, David cast a killing curse but Dolohov managed to avoid it.

When Rosalie took a sleeping Rose in her arms, so that she wouldn’t wake up, and turned around she heard footsteps. Hastily, she put Rose back in the cradle and pulled out her wand. The door creaked, the thunderbolt hit the tree behind the window. Antonin Dolohov entered the room, smirking.

‘Well, I haven’t expected Dumbledore to have such a beautiful daughter,’ Rosalie had pointed his wand at him, ready to fight. ‘Listen, let’s make a deal. I’ll save you if you let me kill your daughter.’

‘I won’t let you touch her,’ she said firmly.

‘Ouu, sassy. I like the sassy ones. Seriously, stand aside.’

‘No.’

‘STAND ASIDE.’

‘Expelliarmus!’ she shouted but Dolohov managed to defend himself. Rose woke up, crying.

‘MORTENA!’ he shouted and the stream of dark purple light brought out from his wand. It hit Rosalie, making her scream in agony. Rosalie was lying down on the floor, hearing as Antonin Dolohov was heading towards the cradle with her crying baby in. A dribble of blood ran down from her mouth, her eyes open widely. David and Rosalie Evenhart were dead.

A Death Eater approached the cradle and looked at Rose. He decided to make her death less painful than her parents’. The baby stopped crying, it was looking at him without fear but rather with curiosity of what he’s gonna do. When he pointed the wand at her and was about to cast a killing curse, he heard a crack behind his back.

‘EXPELLIARMUS!’ a firm manly voice resounded in the room. Dolohov turned around and saw him. ‘INCARCEROUS!’ the thick ropes, conjured by Albus Dumbledore, bind him. With another waving with his wand, Dumbledore pushed a Death Eater on a wall. Dolohov screamed.

‘HOW – HOW DID YOU – KNOW?’ he asked. The wizard came up to him and looked into his eyes with his watery ones, furious.

‘Because I always know,’ and then he did something Dolohov didn’t expect. Dumbledore hit him with his own fist, as a result the Death Eater lost consciousness. Albus approached the body of his daughter and fell down onto his knees, sobbing. After a while his sob turned into a cry. He hasn’t expected it to happen after what he had gone through when his wife, Elizabeth, died. He never expected losing his daughter, seeing her body in front of his eyes. No child should die before their parent, and that caused pain to Dumbledore. He took Rosalie’s hand and kissed it. His tears leaking down his cheeks onto her hand. ‘My daughter,’ he looked into her empty light blue eyes. Shut down his tight to open them again. Reached out his hand and closed Rosalie’s eyes. ‘Goodnight.’


	2. Little Girl in the Castle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! I'd like to thank each of you for reading my story :P I just wanted to say that I have a lot of ideas for this story, so probably I'll be updating every day! Stay tuned! xoxo

A little blond-haired girl, wearing a blue-dotted dress, was walking down the corridors of Hogwarts. She was singing under her nose and the portraits, which she passed, were looking at her from time to time either smiling or giggling. That was the view they’ve been seeing from ten years. The granddaughter of Headmaster of Hogwarts playing in the castle, her hair always tied up in two ponytails, sneaking out at night and discovering the mysterious corridors, secrets of the castle.

                All of the sudden, a poltergeist with a bell-covered hat jumped out from the wall and pointed at Rose with his finger. She screamed, petrified. She didn’t expect Peeves to scare her again.

                ‘Blondieee,’ he called out happily, moving with his fingers as if he was playing the piano.

                ‘PEEVES! Why are you scaring me again?’

                ‘Because it’s fun.’

                ‘Fun? It’s no fun! You’ve almost scared me to death,’ Rose squinted her eyes and glared at him.

                ‘What can I say? I love scaring people!’ he laughed maniacally.

                ‘Leave me alone!’ the poltergeist started touching her hair and pulling her ponytails. ‘STOP IT! PEEVES, STOP IT!’ Rose started to run as fast as she was able to, trying to escape Peeves but it seemed almost impossible to lose him. When suddenly, a ghost in robes stained with silver blood turned up, his head emerging from the floor.

                ‘What’s going on here?’ he asked.

                ‘Bloody Baron, he was attacking me again!’ said Rose, pointing at the poltergeist.

                ‘Peeves –,‘ the Slytherin ghost eyed him up and down hostilely.

                ‘Your Dreadfulness, it was just fun –‘

                ‘FUN?!’ asked Rose, shocked. ‘IT WAS FUN?! YOU’VE ALMOST SCARED ME TO DEATH AND PULLED ME FOR MY PONYTAILS! IT HURT!’

                ‘Decamp from here, Peeves, or I’ll pull out my sword,’ said the ghost, deadly serious.

                ‘Of course, Your Dreadfulness,’ said the poltergeist and hastily, flew away through the wall. Rose breathed out loudly and looked at Bloody Barron, relieved, ‘Thank you,’ she said.

                ‘You’re welcome, Miss Dumbledore. At your service,’ he took off his hat and bowed down. ‘Peeves can be very infuriating indeed. Even the caretaker, Mr Filch, has troubles with controlling him. The only ones who can handle him are, saying humbly, me and your grandfather. May I?’ he asked, reaching out his hand towards Rose.

                ‘Of course.’

                Along with Bloody Baron, Rose was discovering the castle, finding out its deepest secrets. The ghost showed her many secret passages, one leading to Hogsmeade, or through portraits to other floors. Rose has been living there so many years but still it made her amazed how much she didn’t know about Hogwarts, how enormous the castle was, what secrets were hiding inside. She knew Hogwarts is her home.

                When she was admiring the crows sitting on a branch behind the window, she heard a cold manly voice behind her back.

                ‘What Rose Dumbledore and Bloody Baron are doing here so late?’ Rose turned around and saw a wizard in a long black robe, eyeing her up and down. The small ball of light was on top of his wand as well as on Rose’s.

                ‘Well – I – I was just –,’ Snape was looking at her with his eyebrows raised, awaiting response.

                ‘I was showing Rose around the castle, professor Snape,’ said Bloody Baron, putting his hand on Rose’s arm.

                ‘I suppose that the Headmaster’s granddaughter knows castle well enough and does not need your help.’

                ‘No, I wanted it,’ Rose protested bravely. ‘I wanted Bloody Baron to show me things around here I don’t know about.’

                ‘Thank you, Bloody Baron for showing Rose around,’ said the Potions Master, turning his eyes on the ghost. ‘I’ll walk her to her room where she should have been a very long time ago.’

                Bloody Baron nodded and looked at Rose for the very last time, then vanished through the wall.

                ‘You’re lucky that a school term hasn’t started yet, because if it had I’d have had to take points from your house,’ said Snape. ‘Let’s go.’

                In the meantime, professor Dumbledore had gone to take a look at Rose, who was supposed to sleep in her chambers, but then he noticed the bed was empty and Rose’s shoes had disappeared. He sighed and walked down to his office and asked two of the portraits to ask around and look for her. After some time, Phineas returned to inform the Headmaster that his granddaughter had been seen along with professor Snape walking her to his office, and they should be there in a few minutes.

                Professor Dumbledore sat at his desk and started to reply for letters when suddenly he heard a knock on the door. He smiled under his breath and call out, ‘Come in!’

                Rose loved being at her grandpa’s office. She always admired its interior, the smell and magic she could feel every time she entered the office. When she had been younger she couldn’t help but touch everything, sometimes even experiencing consequences. She always wondered what these wardrobes were hiding in, looked up to the conjured planet system circling above, the talking portraits of previous Headmasters of Hogwarts, phoenix which most of its time was sitting on the perch singing. While entering Albus Dumbledore’s office everyone could experience the magic of Hogwarts in one room.

                ‘I think you’ve lost something, professor,’ said Snape, entering the room with a little girl next to him. ‘She’s yours, isn’t she?’

                ‘Thank you, Severus,’ said Dumbledore, then turned his eyes on his granddaughter. ‘Rosie, you should be sleeping.’

                ‘But I couldn’t sleep, so I decided to take a stroll around the castle. I wanted to come back but Peeves attacked me, so I started to escape but he didn’t leave me, so the Bloody Baron helped me and then took me for a stroll. I know new passwords to shortcuts through portraits and –‘

                ‘I understand your enthusiasm, Rosie,’ said Albus, smiling at her. ‘But you should be sleeping. You’re still a child and need specific amount of hours to be well-rested.’

                ‘I’m not a child,’ she said firmly. ‘Not yours for sure.’

                Snape raised his eyebrows, surprised. He never expected Rose to behave this way towards Dumbledore. He didn’t realise how much she resembled David even though she looked exactly like Rosalie.

                ‘Rosie, do not take that tone,’ he warned her.

                ‘Or what?’

                ‘Go to your room.’

                ‘No.’

                ‘Rose, I said _GO TO YOUR ROOM_ ,’ Snape was watching the scene taking place in front of his eyes. The girl glared at his grandpa, clenched her fist ‘til it turned red and walked upstairs, whistling on two fingers. Dumbledore’s phoenix woke up and flew in the air to sit on her arm.

                ‘Let’s go, Fawkes. They don’t want us here. No one wants us anywhere. We’re not the famous Harry Potter.’

                The wizards heard the door slam. The Potions Master looked at the Headmaster, who had already sighed, then said, ‘It must be difficult to see your daughter’s face every day but bringing Evenhart up.’

                ‘I spend time with her whenever I can. She’s so much David, she’s nothing like Rosalie. At all. Do you think I neglect her, Severus?’ asked Dumbledore.

                ‘You should ask her.’

                ‘Term is starting next week. I have to go with her to Diagon Alley tomorrow in order to buy some school supplies and visit the Gringott’s to ask about the vault.’

                ‘Do you really think it’ll be safer here than at Gringott’s?’ Dumbledore smiled.

                ‘And do you know safer place than Hogwarts, Severus?’ the thing that happened afterwards was the one which no student would expect ever to happen: professor Snape smiled.

                ‘What about the Potter boy?’

                ‘Oh, I’m gonna send Hagrid to pick him up from Surrey. I’ve noticed that the Dursleys seem not to be very fond of receiving the letters. I suppose they do not want to let Harry come here.’

                ‘I’m not surprised. If you placed him with someone like Petunia Evans –‘

                ‘Severus –‘

                ‘She hated Lily for being a witch. I’m sure she hates him, too. We don’t even know what this boy is going through –’

                ‘Severus,’ Dumbledore let him know to stop talking with his look. ‘I understand you. But you know very well that as long as Harry is with Lily’s family he’s safe. The bloodbond spell works only when a child is within its family. The Dursleys are his only family.’

                Snape looked rather disappointed than angry. He sighed, looking up at the stairs leading to Dumbledore’s private library and chambers, then he noticed Rose in pyjamas sitting on the floor upstairs. Her legs hanging over Dumbledore’s head, she was watching them all this time sitting behind the balcony, accompanied by Fawkes.

                ‘Headmaster,’ said Snape, nodding at the girl. Professor Dumbledore turned around and saw his granddaughter.

                ‘That’s why he survived?’ asked she. ‘Because of the bloodbond spell?’

                ‘Yes.’    

                ‘So, he doesn’t have any magical power then. He’s not more powerful than Voldemort was. He survived, because of the spell his mum had cast upon him. If she didn’t – he’d not survive,’ she said.

                ‘Harry’s mum, my dear Rosie, gave up her life for him. Voldemort killed her but couldn’t kill Harry, because love, Rose, is the most powerful kind of magic in this world.’

                ‘But it cannot conquer all,’ she noticed, leaning through the handrail. ‘If my mum would die for me – Dolohov wouldn’t be able to kill me as well?’

                ‘Your mum, Rosie, has died for you.’

                ‘But if Dolohov cast a killing curse upon me nothing would happen, right? I’d survive.’

                ‘I wouldn’t dare to risk,’ Dumbledore replied.

Suddenly, Snape felt uncomfortable in the current situation and decided to leave the Headmaster’s office as soon as possible, get back to his chambers and go to sleep. It was a very tiring night, he didn’t want to hear about Harry again. He tried to forget Lily, forget his past, everything but he couldn’t. In a week he’ll see her son, Dumbledore’s told him he had Lily’s eyes.  It was too painful to think about it. Besides Harry, there was also Rose to whom he was a Godfather. He didn’t know what to do, how to not become emotionally attached to these kids: Rose, the daughter of his best friend and granddaughter of the Headmaster who had promised his protection to Severus, and then Harry James Potter.

                ‘I think I should go. Goodnight, professor,’ said he, then looked at Rose and headed towards the door.

                ‘Goodnight, uncle Severus!’ the girl shouted behind his back as he was leaving. He answered her as he was closing the door. ‘I would survive, grandpa, wouldn’t I?’

                Dumbledore went upstairs and sat next to her, ‘The Bloodbond spell is a form of a very ancient magic, Rosie. It’s something Voldemort never knew and never will. Probably, you’d survive but believe me, you wouldn’t like to be famous as Harry having a scar on his forehead.’

                ‘I’m famous anyway, because you’re famous and my parents were murdered. Maybe I could be friends with Harry, how do you think? It seems that we have much in common,’ Dumbledore smiled softly, admiring his granddaughter, brushing away her blond hair behind ear, ‘Grandpa?’

                ‘You look exactly like your mum, but you've inherited your character after your father.’

                ‘Is that bad?’

                ‘Well, everything has its good and bad sides, hasn’t it?’ Fawkes flew away on his perch while Rose decided to hug his grandfather. ‘What is it, Rosie?’

                ‘Would you like me to not be like my dad?’ she asked sadly. Dumbledore caressed her hair, wondering. He hadn’t liked David for a very long time but afterwards he proved that he can change for the better. ‘You didn’t like him, did you?’

                ‘Why do you think so?’

                ‘Because you never talk about him. If you say anything about my parents it’s only about mum. I asked you many times about dad, but you never wanted to talk about him and always tried to change the subject.’

                Dumbledore sighed, _‘Why is it so difficult?_ ’ he thought. ‘Listen, Rosie. I promise I’ll tell you more about your father when it’s time. You’re not ready to hear all of it yet.’

                ‘The only thing I know about him is that he was in Slytherin, was its Seeker and friends with uncle Severus. I do not even know his name…’

                ‘Rosie, I’ll tell you everything. I promise, but not today. Go back to bed.’

                ‘Can I sleep with you tonight?’ she asked with hope.

                ‘I have a lot of paper work to do, Rosie.’

                ‘But will you come to me later?’

                ‘Of course,’ Dumbledore kissed her forehead and said, ‘Now, go to sleep.’

                ‘Can I take Fawkes with me, grandpa?’ Dumbledore whistled to summon his phoenix, ‘You’re gonna sleep in her room tonight,’ the bird cried. ‘Goodnight, Rosie.’

                ‘Goodnight, grandpa.’

                Along with Fawkes, Rose returned to her room and closed the door. The purple-black walls were filled with bookshelves with Rose’s favourite fairy-tales. There was only one wardrobe in which the girl hid her diary. On the night table there stood a framed picture of Rose’s parents smiling at each other. In this picture, they might have been still students at Hogwarts. She never had a chance to know them, talk to them, hug them and she knew she’ll never get this chance.  She sighed and take the picture with her to bed. Fawkes sat above her head on the headboard, slowly falling asleep as Rose who was hugging the picture of her parents to her chest.

               

⸿

 

Rose woke up next day alone, there was no Fawkes in her room. When she got up and dressed she left her room and through the hall entered the first floor of her grandpa’s office. She looked around the library but there was no one, so she stood on the balcony but the office was empty.

                ‘Grandpa!’ she called out, looking around but couldn’t see him anywhere. She went downstairs and said to the portrait of professor Dippet, ‘Excuse me,’ the predecessor of Albus Dumbledore looked at her questioningly, ‘Have you seen my grandpa?’

                ‘He left to the Ministry of Magic an hour ago.’

                ‘He left?’ asked Rose, surprised. Armando Dippet nodded, ‘But he promised taking me to Diagon Alley!’ the Headmaster shrugged his shoulders. Rose sighed, disappointed. She looked at Fawkes and said to him, ‘Come on, Fawkes. We’re gonna eat something. He left us for Harry Potter again.’

                Disappointed Rose left the office and went downstairs, next she headed down the corridor at the seventh floor until she stood at the portrait of a young lady. As she said the password the entrance opened. The eleven-year-old girl took a step forward, the door closed and she found herself at the top of a long staircase. All of the sudden, the torches fired up by themselves. Rose with Fawkes on her arm was going down, but the stairs seemed to have no end.

                ‘Fawkes, is it safe here?’ asked she. The phoenix cried in agreement. As Rose found herself at the end of the staircase the entrance of another portrait opened and she was in dungeons, exactly in front of the kitchen.  She approached the door, knocked, then came in.

                She saw a group of the house-elves, preparing a food for a feast next week. One of them approached her and asked, ‘How can I help you, Miss?’

                ‘Um – I’d like something to eat. I don’t have any particular expectations. If you could make me a sandwich or two I’d be grateful.’

                ‘Yes, Miss,’ he answered, then stood on a stool and started to prepare a sandwich with cheese, ham and lettuce.

                ‘Excuse me, what’s your name?’

                ‘Doomy, Miss.’

                ‘Oh,’ she said, hearing the name. ‘Why were you called like that?’

                ‘I don’t know, Miss,’ he replied, then gave her two sandwiches.

                ‘Thank you.’

                ‘My pleasure, Miss. Can I do anything else for you?’

                ‘Oh, if I could have a cup of tea? I completely forgot to tell you …’

                ‘Of course, Miss,’ when Rose was eating her sandwiches sitting on the floor, Doomy was making tea.

                She couldn’t believe that there was so many house-elves working in the kitchen. They were enslaved and yet never rebelled against her grandfather or any Headmaster of Hogwarts. She wondered why and came up with a conclusion that they must like what they’re doing or they’re not aware of their rights, that they can change anything. Maybe the house-elves didn’t know another life than the one they were living? Maybe they didn’t want to change anything, because were comfortable with things as they are?

                After a while the house-elf gave her a teacup. Having eaten and drunk her tea, she thanked him very much for his service and left the kitchen. She used the shortcut through the portrait again to get into her grandfather’s office. She wanted to check if he returned but there was no Dumbledore inside.

                ‘GRANDPA!’ she called out, but didn’t receive any response. ‘GRANDPA!’ she called one more time. ‘Grandpa, you promised …,’ she said under her breath and felt as tears started to well up her eyes. Sat on the fourth step and started to cry. Fawkes cried, trying to cheer her up. She hugged him gently and cried louder.


	3. Diagon Alley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this one is extremely long and I'm starting a winter term in 2 days, so I wanted to inform that chapters may appear very seldom, because this year I'm writing my BA and do internship and have a lot of studying. Enjoy!!!

After a long time of crying, Rose Dumbledore fell asleep sitting on the stairs. Her puffy eyes were closed, the phoenix was singing silently a beautiful tune next to her. The clock was ticking and stroke two o’clock in the afternoon. Even a knock on the door did not wake her up, she was sleeping deeply and breathing steadily.

The door opened and a witch in her sixties came into the Headmaster’s office. She looked around but was unable to see professor Dumbledore anywhere around. She saw his granddaughter instead, who was sleeping on the stairs, her head leaned against the handrail. The witch came up closer and bent down on her knees in front of, then gently shook the girl.

Rose’s light blue eyes started to open and see the surroundings. As the view became clear she saw professor McGonagall in front of her. She was smiling at her kindly, ‘Were you crying?’ she asked. Rose nodded sadly.

‘What happened?’

‘My grandpa’s promised to take me today to Diagon Alley, but he left somewhere and haven’t seen him since this morning,’ the girl answered. ‘He doesn’t love me because of my father, does he?’

‘Rose, that’s not true. Your grandpa loves you with all his heart,’ said McGonagall, surprised with Rose’s statement, sitting next to her. Fawkes sang again, ‘Why do you think so?’

‘He doesn’t want to talk about my dad, has no time to spend it with me, always talks about Harry Potter. It seems that Harry Potter interests him more than I do. He says that I look like my mother, but from character I’m exactly like my father.’

Professor McGonagall looked into her sad blue eyes. She saw Rosalie and Albus in them, she couldn’t see David at all. However, from what she’s heard from Albus she knew that Rose had character after her father.

‘Your grandpa is sometimes very busy. He’s the Headmaster of this school and the member of Wizengamot. He has his duties, they take him a lot of time, but he is and always will be there for you. Besides, Rose, if you need anything you can always come to me. You don’t have to be alone, hide and cry in the corner. You have me, professor Snape. We love you Rose, especially your grandpa does love you.

‘I promise I’ll talk to him when he’s back. Did he exactly tell you when you’ll go to Diagon Alley?’ Rose shook her head. ‘You see? Maybe you’ll go there when he’s back? You don’t know it. Don’t cry,’ the witch caressed the girl’s hair.

‘When I was younger it seemed like he really cared. He took me everywhere, taught me almost every spell that exists, even his own. I know that probably I’ll be bored with Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms but – I miss him, auntie. He seems to be more interested in Harry Potter than me.’

‘Let’s wait until he’s back, hm? Now, let’s go to have a lunch, alright?’ Rose nodded, wiping away tears off her face.

During holidays Minerva McGonagall lived in London, however as many teachers she came back before the school term started to prepare her classroom and still, she awaited response from many families, whose the youngest members received a letter with information about accepting their children to Hogwarts.

‘Can I come to you and spend next holidays with you?’ asked Rose. ‘It seems like my grandpa has no time for me anymore.’

‘Absolutely, Rose! If professor Dumbledore will agree to it,’ she joked.

⸿

Professor Dumbledore was walking down Atrium at the Ministry of Magic. Almost each wizard he met on his way was bowing down to him. Of course, he answered to them with short Good morning and a kind smile. Dumbledore always found it weird and unnecessary: why were they even bowing to him? He held, of course, many important posts but didn’t consider himself as someone who deserved glory. Many desired glory but not him. The only thing he wanted in his life was to do what he wanted and be happy.

As he came into the lift he saw Arthur Weasley. He greeted him and vice-versa, both started to discuss the current affairs at the Ministry and also upcoming school-term at Hogwarts. As the lift came to a halt professor Dumbledore left, saying goodbye to Mr Weasley. On his way, he came across another wizard, the person who at least wanted to see.

‘Dumbledore,’ said the blond-haired man, holding a black stick with an effigy of snake on its top. His cold and surprisingly calm voice seemed suspicious. There was something dark about him, and professor Dumbledore knew what it was. If Rose had a chance to meet Lucius Malfoy that day, she wouldn’t like him for sure. ‘What a surprise to see you here in the last week of holidays. Shouldn’t you be at Hogwarts or somewhere on holidays? Resting from all of it?’

‘Good morning, Lucius. As you can see I do not take holidays often. This year was very exhausting, and next week we’re gonna sort more children than last year. I am sure your son will be sorted in Slytherin.’

‘I know. Every member of my family since ages has been in Slytherin. I do not worry about my son. And how is your granddaughter? What was her name? Ah, Rose.’

‘Rose’s fine.’

‘Do you think she’ll be in Slytherin like David? Or in Gryffindor like her mother?’ It was visible on Dumbledore’s face that mentioning David was not pleasurable for him as well as a topic which Malfoy’d like to discuss and he obviously noticed that.

‘For me, it doesn’t matter in which house she’ll be.’

‘Oh, I see. I still wonder sometimes, when I’m reading about you in the Daily Prophet, why did you decide to bring legal proceedings to adopt Rose and change her last name? Was it because her father, David Evenhart?’

‘I was the only family of hers.’

‘Besides the Evenharts, is that correct? His brother Amadeus could bring her up and yet you were fighting in court about changing the girl’s last name.’

‘I think you know the reason why I was doing it, Lucius,’ said Dumbledore coldly, looking straight into his eyes.

‘Oh, Dumbledore!’ another voice called from the other side of the corridor.

‘Cornelius, I was looking for you! I’m very sorry, Lucius, but I have to go. As you see, my duties call me. Goodbye,’ said Albus, walking away and smiled at Knot’s view. ‘Hello, Cornelius,’ the wizards exchanged handshakes. Minister of Magic seemed very excited about Dumbledore’s visit.

‘Welcome, Albus. It’s been a very long time since I saw you. Tell me, how are you?’

⸿

It was a dreadful place no one has ever seen. So dark and mysterious like the soul of the Dark Lord. It was empty as if there was no life and no light. In the middle there was standing a tall man in a dark robe, his skin pale as stone, without nose, and his red eyes filled with fury the wizarding world has seen only once.

‘You have to kill her,’ said the man to the one kneeling in front of him.

‘My Lord, it won’t be so easy. She’s at Hogwarts, as well as Potter, it’s almost impossible to –‘

‘IF NOT –,‘ the man hissed, ‘WE’LL KILL HER TOGETHER.’

‘What do you mean, my Lord?’ asked the servant.

‘You’ll see.’

The man in a dark robe turned into a black smoke and entered his servant who screamed, writhing in agony. Suddenly, the face started to form on the back of his head. It turned out to be the same face of his Lord who had talked to him before about intention of killing someone, probably also Harry Potter.

Rose woke up, screaming. She was wet from sweat, even her clothing. Only then, she noticed she was on the bed in her room. Now, she remembered: she had come here to take a nap after having a lunch with professor McGonagall. She had wanted to take only a nap when it turned out she slept almost three hours.

The girl has never panted so much in her lifetime before as after having that nightmare. She got up from bed and went to have a shower, then changed her clothes. She was still thinking about the dream she had, ‘Who were these men? Especially the Lord? He was so scary,’ she was thinking.  
She decided to read a book from her grandpa’s library, being one-hundred percent sure he hasn’t come back yet. How bewildered she was when she saw him at his desk writing. She came up to the balcony silently, so he’d not hear her. However, some portraits managed to notice her. One of them even cleared his throat.

‘What is it, Dilys?’ asked Dumbledore to see Derwent nodding at the first floor. Dumbledore turned around and noticed his granddaughter. ‘Hello, Rosie. I can see you’re awake.’

‘I was waiting for you six hours. I thought we are going to Diagon Alley today to buy books.’

‘We are going. Just give me fifteen minutes. I need to reply to this letter.’

‘I thought you’re not gonna come back ‘til evening,’ Dumbledore wrinkled his forehead.

‘And why did you think so?’ Rose shrugged her shoulders. ‘Professor McGonagall talked to me when I returned from the Ministry and she seemed, well, quite angry with me,’ Dumbledore got up from his seat and with his hand gesture ordered his granddaughter to come down. He took her hands in his and started to say, ‘Rosie, I do love you. I do love you with all my heart. You’re the only family of mine and I’d sacrifice myself for you if needed. I’ll do anything for you but sometimes, as it happens in life, there is a lot on my mind that I forget - I forget that you’re the most important person who should be also on my mind.’

‘Would you die for Harry Potter as well?’ asked she. Dumbledore sighed and looked into her eyes through his half-moon glasses, noticing how sad his granddaughter’s eyes were, ‘Be honest with me, grandpa. Would you?’ He answered after a short while, ‘No, I wouldn’t. I wouldn’t die for Harry, Rosie.’

The girl darted at and hugged him, sobbing.

‘Why are you crying?’

‘Because I – I was thinking that Harry Potter is more important for you than I am,’ she confessed.

‘Oh, Rosie,’ Dumbledore hugged her back. ‘No one is more important for me than you.’

‘I love you, grandpa.’

‘I love you, too, Rosie. I love you, too.’

⸿

‘Take my hand,’ said Dumbledore after he’d sent Fawkes with a letter. He was standing in the middle of the office along with his granddaughter. Rose did as she was told, then professor continued, ‘Remember our lesson about apparition?’

‘Yes?’

‘We’re gonna apparate to the Leaky Cauldron now,’ he informed, putting on his favourite red wizarding hat.

‘But – Grandpa, I thought – I thought you cannot apparate at Hogwarts,’ Rose noticed, bewildered. Albus chuckled, smiling at her and said, ‘Unless you’re me.’

At the same moment, Rose felt as if she was whirling through the colourful tunnel. The only thing she remembered after was standing inside the Leaky Cauldron, seeing witches and wizards chatting cheerfully at the tables, drinking.

To Rose, it seemed rather an obscure place in which she wouldn’t like to be. It was very dark and gloomy, the dust gathered everywhere, spider webs in the corners of the walls, old creaking chairs and tables, the floor cleaned but resembled an ancient wood which has seen and gone through a lot.

‘Good afternoon, professor Dumbledore,’ said Tom, standing behind the counter. ‘The same as usual?’

‘No, thank you. Not this time, Tom. I’m going to Diagon Alley with Rose,’ Albus answered, keeping his hand on his granddaughter’s shoulder.

‘Ah, Miss Dumbledore,’ said Tom, ‘It’s good to see you.’

‘Thank you, sir,’ the girl replied, confused. She had noticed a weird behaviour of people inside the pub. They were all looking at her and her grandfather with curious looks, whispering to each other. Rose felt very uncomfortable, ‘Grandpa,’ she pulled the sleeve of his robe. ‘Can we finally leave? The people are staring …’

The Headmaster of Hogwarts looked around carefully and indeed, all eyes were turned on them. He nodded at his granddaughter then said goodbye to the bartender. Along with Rose he headed toward the end of the pub to stand in front of the wall. He pulled out his wand and touched respective bricks which started moving backwards and forwards, on all sides. After a while, Rose was able to see a long street filled with wizards and all kinds of shops.

‘I’ve already got a wand, so I don’t need it. I’ve got a quill, so I don’t need it. I need a pewter cauldron, robes and books. I think we’ll resign from buying books for DADA and Charms. I won’t use them anyway.’

‘Personally, I think you’ll need them Rosie,’ said Dumbledore as they were heading towards Flourish and Blotts.

‘What for? If I’m not gonna use them?’ she asked, being brutally honest. Dumbledore didn’t know whether he should cry or laugh at his granddaughter’s words. She resembled David too much. ‘And if I’ll need them I take them from the library. Madam Pince will let me anyway.’

‘Rosie, I’d ask you for not overusing your name. Everyone knows you’re my granddaughter but it doesn’t mean you are better than others and deserve being treated differently than other students.’

‘But I already am treated differently,’ she noticed. Dumbledore sighed with disapprobation, ‘What?’

‘But you won’t be as a student. Everyone has the same rights.’

As they entered the bookshop the bell hanging above the old door with windows rang. Rose had used to spend hours in the bookshop, reading, when her grandfather had to take care of some issues at Diagon Alley. The shop was filled with the books from the floor up to the ceiling. It was Rose’s favourite shop amongst all at Diagon Alley. A genuine paradise.

‘So, you need books for Transfiguration, Potions, Astronomy, Herbology and History of Magic class then,’ Dumbledore said as all of the sudden a tall red-haired man approached them. Rose thought, ‘He looks rather like a gnome than human. What a weird face…’

‘Good afternoon! How can I help, professor Dumbledore?’ he asked with excitement. After hearing his kind voice Rose immediately started considering him as a very kind and helpful manager.

‘Oh, hello Mr Pigmy,’ said Dumbledore, shaking hands with a man. ‘We need standard schoolbooks. The same as for every first-year student at Hogwarts apart from books for Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Charms.’

‘Of course,’ said the man, going upstairs to get the right books.

‘Do not overuse your name, huh?’ Rose repeated, raising one eyebrow at her grandpa. Dumbledore winked at her, ‘You know how it is sometimes in life,’ he said jokingly, Rose snorted. Sometimes, even though she loved her grandpa the most in the world, she was thinking he was a complete hypocrite.

The seller returned, carrying six books in his arms, then asked professor Dumbledore and his granddaughter to come up to the counter. For all books professor Dumbledore paid seven galleons. Rose took them and along with her grandfather parted. As they were heading towards the door, a male voice resounded in the bookshop. The voice of the very same man Dumbledore had had a pleasure to talk with that morning.

‘Dumbledore, what a coincidence!’ Mr Malfoy called out, approaching the headmaster and his granddaughter along with his son, Draco.

Rose looked at them both. They resembled each other too much that she started to wonder if their characters were the same. She didn’t know who the man was but there was something in his eyes, something that Rose was anxious about. Pride, selfishness and coolness.

‘Welcome again, Lucius,’ said Albus, trying to force a smile on his face. He put a hand on his granddaughter’s shoulder as if he wanted to keep her as close as possible. As if she was in danger and he had to protect her from Lucius Malfoy.

‘This is my son, Draco,’ said he, introducing the blond-haired boy standing next to him.

‘Face of a rat? Nothing like his father,’ Rose thought. The boy raised his eyebrows slyly what surprised Rose, because the only thing she wanted to do after what he’d done, was to punch jackanapes in his face.

‘And surely, this is your granddaughter Rose, is that right?’ asked he, looking down at the girl.

‘Yes, sir,’ she replied coldly and eyed Lucius Malfoy up at down suspiciously.

‘Draco, say hello.’

‘Hi, I’m Draco,’ said the boy, reaching out his hand towards Rose.

‘Rose,’ she said and shook the hand with him.

‘Rose, this is Mr Malfoy. His son will be attending Hogwarts this year,’ said Albus, looking at the boy with the corner of his light blue eye. ‘I’m very sorry, Lucius, but we are in hurry.’

‘Of course,’ he answered coldly. ‘Goodbye then.’ Hastily, Albus Dumbledore led his granddaughter out of the bookshop.

‘Grandpa, what was that all about?’ asked Rose.

‘Rosie, will you do me a favour?’ the girl, surprised that her grandfather had asked about any favour, nodded, ‘Keep away from Draco Malfoy.’

‘Okay.’

At Madam Malkin’s after mensuration, Rose was trying a black winter cloak and a plain work robe on. Meanwhile, professor Dumbledore grabbed dragon-hide gloves and pack of name-tags for his granddaughter.

‘What are these for?’ asked Rose standing at the stool and nodding at the name tags in his hand while Madam Malkin had been taking her measurements.

‘Oh, these are for identifying students. Every first-year needs a pack of them,’ he explained.

‘But why do I need them?’ she asked, clearly implying on I. ‘Everyone knows who I am as Harry Potter. He doesn’t need them as well.’

Dumbledore sighed, ‘Rose, please, do not start this kind of discussion again. Just wear them as every freshman does. Will you?’

‘No,’ she replied honestly. ‘I won’t.’

‘Yes, you will,’ the wizard wagged his finger at her, joking. However, Rose didn’t take it as a joke.

‘Grandpa, if you say so why did you even ask?’ Dumbledore couldn’t stop his chuckle.

‘Madam Malkin, did you hear it?’ asked he, turning his eyes on the white-haired witch who looked at him with her blue eyes smiling. ‘And this is what I have to go through every day.’

‘Your granddaughter seems very curious of the world and rebellious,’ the witch noticed. ‘You’ll have troubles because of her, professor. I’m telling you, you’ll see.’

'I hope I won’t,’ Dumbledore said, looking at Rose with disapprobation.

‘Grandpa, do not spend your money unnecessarily on things I won’t use. I WON’T USE name-tags. I know you’d like me to be as every other student but the truth is that I won’t be. You know it. You know that I’m not like every other student. The same about Harry Potter.’

‘All students should carry name-tags at all times,’ he quoted. ‘They should, Rosie. Not MUST.’ When they finally bought a pewter cauldron at Potage’s Cauldron Shop, Rose could put all of her books into it and let her hands rest. She didn’t imagine carrying these books all the time before and after class. ‘I can manage,’ she thought out loud. When they reached the end of Diagon Alley they stood in front of the dark street in which barely Rose could see anything.

‘Grandpa,’ she said anxiously, carrying a cauldron with her supplies in one hand and grabbing her grandpa’s with another one. ‘What is this place?’

‘It’s Knockturn Alley, Rosie,’ he answered as they started to walk in the depth of darkness of the street. ‘A very nasty place, full of wizards interested in black magic. Some of them were or even still are the supporters of Lord Voldemort,’ he was saying quietly. ‘Stay close.’

Timidly, the eleven-year-old was glancing with the corner of her eye at witches and wizards standing around, who suddenly went silent. She was afraid, she had never been as scared before as when was walking down Knocturn Alley.

‘Grandpa, they’re staring. They’re terrifying, I’m afraid,’ she said, tears welling up her eyes.

'Keep calm, Rosie. Until you’re with me nothing can happen to you,’ he said, giving them the same look. ‘What are you staring at? Have you never seen a child?’ he asked sharply, then along with Rose moved on.

They were heading toward Wizeacres Wizarding Equipment where Rose had to buy equipment needed for Astronomy and Potions class. Mr Wizeacres, although working at such a gloomy place, was very polite for his customers. It was hard to say whether he had a hand in dark arts or not. Rose and her grandfather bought everything they need for her first year at Hogwarts: brass scales, brass telescope and one set of glass phials. For all of those items professor Dumbledore paid thirteen galleons.

‘Can I have a Niffler?’ asked Rose as they left Knockturn Alley and returned to Diagon Alley.

‘Oh, I’m sorry, Rosie but first years are allowed to bring to Hogwarts either a cat, owl or a toad,’ said Dumbledore, clearly sad. ‘But don’t worry. We’ll buy you a Niffler next year,’ he winked at her. ‘Why do you want a Niffler? You don’t want an owl or a cat?’

‘No. I have no one to send letters to and besides, I could hug Niffler when I’ll be sleeping.’

‘Well, you could send letters to me when you’ll be away,’ professor Dumbledore noticed.

‘Theoretically yes, but I don’t like owls. They bite, and cats spit hairballs. That’s disgusting.’

‘And Nifflers are very difficult to handle when they see a shiny or golden thing.’

‘Phoenixes are difficult to handle, too, yet you got one,’ Dumbledore laughed, then patted his granddaughter’s arm.

‘Good observation, my dear. Very good observation. So, what would you say about having ice cream at Florean Fortescue’s?’


	4. The Sorting Hat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rose and her friends are being sorted into the particular Houses. Meanwhile, Rose's abilty starts to reveal itself...

Rose woke up on September first completely unrested and sleepy. She looked at the clock standing on a night table next to her bed. It was six in the morning, felt emotions she hadn’t known before.  
She didn’t know who she was, not knowing anything about her father. Tears started welling up her eyes and she couldn’t stop them. She cried in a pillow, screaming loudly almost tearing her lungs apart. Wanted to hug her parents, asked her dad about anything. Despite having nightmares last night again she felt like a problem, big mistake.  
She looked at her owl in the cage on a table at the wall. Last week her grandfather bought her a screechy owl for fifteen galleons at Eeylops Owl Emporium.  
‘How will you call her?’ Dumbledore had asked.  
‘Harperia’ she said. ‘From a harpy.’  
Most of the day Rose spent in bed. She was sleeping and looking at the ceiling. Every sound made her angry, the only thing she wanted was to continue sleeping. At the same moment, she heard a knock on the door but didn’t reply. Heard the door opening and then felt an additional weight on the bed.  
‘Rosie?’ she heard her grandfather’s voice. The wizard gently shook her arm. The girl opened her eyes lazily and looked at him. Dumbledore noticed that her eyes seemed empty, even lifeless. ‘You feeling unwell?’  
‘No.’  
‘Why didn’t you get up? Today is a big day,’ he smiled, trying to make her smile as well.  
‘I see it every year. Nothing special.’  
‘It is special for me. You’re about to start your first year as a student at Hogwarts and you’ll be sorted into your house.’  
‘Yeah …’ Rose closed her eyes again. ‘When will they arrive?’  
‘In five hours. You should get ready,’ he said, clearly worried about his granddaughter’s condition.  
‘Could you wake me up an hour before? Please.’  
‘Rosie, you should get up right now. Professor Sprout and professor Flitwick were asking about you,’ Rose didn’t reply, her eyes still closed. ‘Could you tell me, what is it?’  
‘I feel guilty,’ she stated finally, barely opening up her eyes. Dumbledore looked at her, surprised. ‘My parents have died because of me, haven’t they? Because Voldemort wanted me dead they died,’ the wizard was listening carefully. ‘So, I am the reason of all of it. They died ‘cuz of me.’  
‘No, Rose,’ he answered, starting to caress her hair and looking sympathetically into her eyes. ‘They didn’t die because of you. They died for you, because they wanted to. Not because they had to. They chose death over their life to protect you. That Voldemort was the cause of all those dreadful events that happened. You’re not the one to be blamed.’  
‘Were you happy when you’d found out that I’ll be born?’ that question bewildered professor Dumbledore even more.  
‘Of course I was! I was delighted!’  
‘Did you know you’ll be in trouble because of me?’ Dumbledore sighed.  
‘You’re no trouble, Rosie.’

*

  
The blond-haired girl wearing a black robe was heading toward the Great Hall in front of which gathered a crowd of freshmen. Professor McGonagall was standing in front of them, explaining the Sorting Ceremony and the Houses of Hogwarts to which the young wizards will be sorted.  
For this occasion, Rose had decided to lose her hair completely. The blond waves beautifully matched her oval face and light blue eyes. Seeing her, professor McGonagall smiled under her breath.  
‘And now,’ she said. ‘Let’s begin!’  
As they entranced Great Hall students could not stop their enthusiasm and amazement with the interior of the hall. On each sides there were two long tables where students of the particular houses were sitting at. The lighted hall with the ceiling looking like the night sky was making impression on everyone.  
‘The ceiling is conjured so it resembles the night sky,’ said a girl with bush of curly hair going a few steps further in front of Rose. ‘I’ve read it in the History of Hogwarts.’  
Along with other first-years, amongst whom she could see Draco Malfoy, Rose stood in front of professor McGonagall behind whom was placed a stool with the Sorting Hat on it. The Headmaster winked at her, smiling at the same time. Rose chuckled and gave him a smile in return.  
‘And now,’ McGonagall started. ‘You’ll be sorted into your house,’ she rolled out a parchment with the list of students. ‘Susan Bones!’  
The red-haired girl approached and sat on the stool. McGonagall put the Hat on her head. ‘HUFFLEPUFF! It shouted. From Hufflepuff’s table she could see joy and happy whistling. Rose came closer and stood next to a red-haired boy talking to his friend next to him.  
‘Vincent Crabbe!’ the plump boy, who had been standing next to Draco Malfoy, sat on the stool. Rose, seeing Lucius’ son, rolled her eyes. She didn’t like him at all.  
‘SLYTHERIN!’  
‘There isn’t a witch or wizard who went bad who wasn’t in Slytherin,’ Rose heard a red-haired boy next to her saying.  
‘Rose Dumbledore!’ suddenly, the whole Great Hall went silent.  
‘Dumbledore? Dumbledore?’ the students around started to whisper. Rose took a step forward and slowly approached the stool to after a while sit on it comfortably. Professor McGonagall put the Hat on her head which said, ‘HA! FINALLY. I knew we’ll see each other, Rose. Hmm – difficult. Very difficult. Hard to decide. You have character whose traits match every house. However, I can see curiosity of the world. Courage, yes, courage, even recklessness in some cases. What about Ravenclaw, hm?’  
‘Don’t you think I’m too lazy to be in Ravenclaw?’ she asked. ‘I mean I like knowing things but – well, I can be very lazy and that’s not how the Ravenclaws are like, right?  
‘Right. Well then, if not Ravenclaw … better be …,’ Rose held her breath, ‘GRYFFINDOR!’  
The screams of joy resounded from the Gryffindor table, it seemed like the whole Great Hall was clapping and congratulating her. Even McGonagall, while taking the Sorting Hat off Rose’s head, smiled. At once, the girl ran up towards the first table on the right.  
‘DUMBLEDORE! DUMBLEDORE! DUMBLEDORE!’ the Gryffindors were shouting, hitting rhythmically in the table and stamping.  
The Headmaster of Hogwarts was feeling the same kind of pride when his daughter had been sorted in Gryffindor as well. He had smiled even more at his granddaughter, hearing the Gryffindors cheer his and Rose’s surname.  
‘Seamus Finnigan!’  
‘GRYFFINDOR!’ another loud cheer and whistling resounded from Gryffindor’s table. Rose hugged Seamus as he ran up to the table. He was greeted in the similar way by others.  
‘Greggory Goyle!’  
‘SLYTHERIN!’  
‘Hermione Granger!’ the girl with long thick curly hair, who had been standing in front of Rose not so long time ago, approached the stool and sat on it. The Hat after being put on her head didn’t hesitate and after barely a second shouted, ‘GRYFFINDOR!’  
She smiled and ran up to the table, being immediately greeted by the students.  
‘Hi,’ said Rose, nodding at the empty place next to her. ‘I’m Rose. Nice to meet you.’  
‘Hermione,’ the witches shook their hands, smiling at each other. ‘Nice to meet you, too.’  
‘Neville Longbottom!’  
‘Are you by any chance related to Albus Dumbledore?’ asked Hermione.  
‘Yeah, that’s my grandpa,’ she replied. Hermione goggled her brown eyes in surprise. ‘Yeah, books won’t tell you everything.’  
‘Draco Malfoy!’  
‘Ew,’ Rose let out, even not thinking what she was doing. The boy with face of a rat sat on the stool and even before the Hat was placed on his head, it shouted, ‘SLYTHERIN!’  
‘Harry Potter!’  
‘Harry Potter? Harry Potter?’ the students started whispering again. Rose got up to have a better look at the Boy Who Lived. He was the same height as she was, had short brown hair and round glasses on his face.  
Albus Dumbledore’s granddaughter started to wonder if he had a scar on his forehead, as people were claiming. She wondered what kind of person he is, is he a braggart who loves attention and being famous? Or is he a normal boy, whom the fame hasn’t gone to his head? Although she was famous herself, somehow she didn’t enjoy it as well as her grandfather didn't. However, both of them sometimes liked using their last name for certain purposes if needed.  
‘‘Hmm,’ said a small voice in his ear. ‘Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There’s talent, oh my goodness, yes — and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that’s interesting… So where shall I put you?”  
Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not Slytherin.  
‘Not Slytherin, eh?’ said the small voice. ‘Are you sure? You could be great, you know, it’s all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that — no? Well, if you’re sure — better be GRYFFINDOR!’  
Harry had smiled widely before the Great Hall started clapping at the same moment in one rhythm. Everyone, besides professor Snape sitting at the teacher’s table. As Harry ran up to the table was greeted by its students and cheers, ‘WE HAVE THE POTTER! WE HAVE THE POTTER!’ the boy turned around and saw the Headmaster raising a cup for him as if he was congratulating him. He looked also at Hagrid who was smirking at him.  
Dean and Ron were sorted as well as Harry in Gryffindor whose students were very happy to take the most of the first-years in. The last person to be sorted was Blaise Zabini who ended in Slytherin but didn’t seem to be unhappy because of it at all.  
‘Before we’ll start,’ the Headmaster said, ‘I’d like to inform you that Mr Filch asked me to remind you that being on the third floor is forbidden. Under no circumstances can you be there! Older students already know it that entrancing the Forbidden Forest is also absolutely banned! And those who decide to do break the rule shall be punished,’ he announced, ’The feast is about to begin!’ as Dumbledore clapped his hands, food appeared on the tables. Harry and Ron had never seen such amount of food before. Potter couldn’t decide what to put on his plate first.  
Rose didn’t want to eat at all. The only thing she wanted to do was to lay in bed and cry. With the corner of her eye she looked at sitting on the other side of the table Harry and Ron and saw it – the scar, but didn’t say anything.  
Without a word, she got up hastily and headed toward the door.  
‘Rose, where are you going?’ Hermione called out for her, but the blond-haired didn’t turn back or replied. She wanted to get out of the hall as soon as possible. Dumbledore was about to get up as well and follow his granddaughter when professor McGonagall stopped him, saying, ‘I’ll take care of this,’ and left the Great Hall. However, she couldn’t see the girl anywhere.  
‘A special needs child,’ Ron had said, taking a bite of chicken’s leg. Harry with Hermione were looking at him, gutted.  
‘Point me Rose Dumbledore,’ said McGonagall. The blue light went out from her wand and headed on the floor toward the staircase. Minerva followed the light until she got to the Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. ‘Rose?’ she asked, looking around. When she turned around she saw her sitting against the wall at the end of the bathroom. ‘Why did you leave the Great Hall?’  
‘I do not fit in here.’  
‘What are you saying? You’re a witch. Of course, you do,’ Rose looked at her blankly. It was the same look David Evenhart had given her many times as he had been thinking but didn’t say it out loud. ‘Did something happen between you and your grandpa again?’ asked the witch, getting a sternly look.  
‘No, no. It’s not my grandpa, it’s just – I suppose it’s just me,’ Rose dropped down her head, sad. ‘I – I am so angry today. I – I have such mood swings that I can’t handle them. Aunt Minerva, something wrong is happening with me and -,’ her voice cracked, ‘and I don’t know what.’  
‘What do you mean, Rose?’ asked the witch with worry in her eyes.  
‘I don’t know,’ she cried. ‘I don’t know.’  
‘Let’s go. Come with me,’ the woman helped her get up when suddenly Moaning Myrtle flew up out of the loo.  
‘Ooooh, is she crying?’ her ghost asked, getting closer to them. ‘I cry here almost every day. If you’d like Rose you can be my companion. We could be friends and cry together.’  
‘DON’T WANNA BE FRIENDS WITH YOU!’ Rose screamed in Myrtle’s eyes, furious. Her ghost started to moan and cry again, flying away. But then, something unexpected happened: Rose’s hair turned red what, of course, was noticed by McGonagall.  
‘Merlin’s beard! Let’s go from here, Rose.’  
As they reached the Great Hall, Minerva told her to wait in the corridor. She came in herself, felt the eyes of all student’s turned on her. She approached Dumbledore and started whispering in his ear. The wizard nodded at her and got up from his seat. As Dumbledore and McGonagall were leaving, literally everyone stared at them.  
‘What happen'd?’ Hagrid asked professor Snape sitting next to him.  
‘I don’t know. Probably, the Headmaster’s granddaughter is causing trouble again,’ he replied, keeping an eye on Harry.  
‘I hope it’s nothin' serious,’ said Hagrid. ‘Rose came to me last week and asked me for tellin' her mo're about some creatures. She seem'd very interested in them. Who knows? Maybe someday she’ll be teachin' Care of the Magical Creatures?’ he wondered. ‘She loves animals, however many of them disgusts her. I took her to the Forbidden Forest and showed her spiders. She was under impression,’ Snape shut his eyes, feeling as if he was about to fall asleep. He hated small talks, ‘but touched them through gloves.’  
‘Very interesting,’ Snape muttered, cutting another piece of beef with knife.  
Meanwhile, Rose was sitting on the marble bench outside the Great Hall, watching the torches burn. She heard the door open but didn’t look that way. She knew who it was: her grandfather and professor McGonagall.  
‘Thank you, Minerva. You should go back at the feast. We’ll manage,’ the witch nodded and looked at Rose with compassion, then entered the Hall to join others. ‘Rosie,’ Dumbledore approached and sat next to her. ‘I’ve just heard your gift started to reveal itself.’  
‘A gift?’  
‘Yes. It may take a long time before it’s fully developed and you have right to feel the way you feel. These mood swings you’re going though are a part of the process. Your father was going through it as well,’ Rose looked up at him. He was looking straight into her eyes, ‘If he could, you can do it as well.  
‘Not everyone is born a metamorphagus. It is a very special gift, only 0.2 percent of the wizards has it. That’s another proof how special you are, Rosie. I’ll be repeating it until you believe it. YOU ARE VERY SPECIAL,’ Rose smiled. ‘I’ll ask professor Snape to brew a special potion for you that will help you control your mood and mood swings won’t be so intense.’  
‘Is there really a potion for that?’  
‘Oh, yes. Your father took it as well when his ability was developing,’ Dumbledore winked at her. ‘So, besides character you inherited after him also this ability. Congratulations, Rosie.’

  
*

  
As the feast ended the first-years headed to their dormitories. Percy Weasley, whom Rose has known for the very long time, led young Gryffindors to the tower on seventh floor, passing talking and moving portraits, using the staircase which moved by itself what surprised them all; besides Rose of course. They came to a halt in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
‘Say the password,’ she said.  
‘Caput Draconis.’  
The entrance to the common room opened. The young Gryffindors were unable to not to express their enthusiasm. Even Rose, who had never got a chance to be in the Gryffindor common room, was under impression. She smiled, looking around. Really like the idea of fireplace and a couch, armchairs that made the whole room very cosy. She started to think how her mother had been walking these corridors, sleeping in the same dormitory, how she was studying in here. In some way, Rose didn’t know why but she became very nostalgic. Percy’s voice brought her down to earth, ‘Boys’ dormitory on the left, girls’ on the right. You’ll get your schedules tomorrow morning. That’s everything from me now, goodnight.’  
Everyone, either hastily or lazily, walked upstairs to their dormitories. Rose decided to sleep next to Hermione’s bed. She took her stuff and placed them in a particular places: the cage with an owl on the night table next to the bed, her books in the storage locker under the cage. Having done that she went to have a shower while other girls chattered happily about new year at school, or in some cases even the first year.  
As Rose came out from the bathroom she approached her bed and fell onto it without will, feeling how she started to fall asleep very slowly. In the distance she could hear the girls chattering, but after a while her eyes closed completely and found herself in Morpheus’ arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Basically, I have problems with posting here because the whole layout of chapters changes and cannot fix it. It mainly means the lack of paragraphs. If someone knows the solution, please, respond in comments below. I'd be very grateful, because it starts getting very irritating.


	5. Troll at Hogwarts

Rose was awoken by crows cawing behind the window of their dormitory. She opened her eyes lazily, then looked at the clock. It was five past seven, some of the beds were already empty. Rose knew very well that she has to get up however her body was saying otherwise.  
‘Rose, come on,’ she heard Hermione saying, ‘You’ll be late if you want to have a breakfast.’ She knew she was right. Rose muttered something about five minutes more, then was pulled out from the bed by Angelina Johnson. Rose knew it was as a form of fun for them, even for herself. She laughed, then said smiling with her eyebrows raised, ‘Obviously, no one will let me sleep five more minutes.’  
She pulled out her robe from the chest and went to the bathroom. Washed her face with cold water, then her teeth, combed hair in a ponytail and put the Gryffindor robe on.  
‘Come on,’ said Rose to Hermione who was already sitting on her bed, reading a book. ‘What are you reading?’ she came to a halt, as had headed towards the door.  
‘Oh, it’s our course book for Charms,’ she replied. Rose raised her eyebrows on her, then said, ‘Come on. I’m hungry.’  
In the Great Hall she saw teachers already sitting at their table. She didn’t even bother to look at her grandfather. All she was caring about was food. After not having a dinner last evening she had woken up hungry. At that moment, she felt she was starving.  
Rose sat down along with Hermione on their seats, then put some food on their plates. She decided to eat a porridge and pour some pumpkin juice in the glass. A moment later, Rose looked around but didn’t see Harry nor his friend anywhere at the table.  
‘Hey, Rose!’ called Percy, sitting down in front of them. ‘Did you sleep well?’  
‘Hi, Pers. Yeah, finally had no nightmares. I was so tired yesterday that immediately fell asleep,’ she answered. ‘And what about you?’  
‘Slept well, too, thanks. Who’s your friend?’ he asked, nodding at Hermione.  
‘Oh, this is Hermione. Hermione, this is Percy Weasley.’  
‘The Head Boy, right?’ asked Granger to be sure while shaking hands with Ron’s brother.  
‘Yes. Nice to meet you.’  
‘Nice to meet you, too.’  
When they finished their breakfast, McGonagall approached the table and gave the timetables to the students. Rose looked immediately at their first lesson which was about to begin in two hours.  
‘Transfiguration with Hufflepuffs. That’s not bad, I think.’  
‘Good thinking,’ said Rose, analysing the timetable further. ‘Oh, no. Potions with Slytherin. Malfoy will be there…’  
‘You know him?’  
‘Unfortunately, I do. My grandpa told me to keep away from him.’  
‘Why?’  
‘You’ll meet him by yourself and you’ll know why,’ she announced. ‘I’ve met him when I was with my grandpa at Diagon Alley. I’ve met him and his father. My grandpa obviously didn’t like them and neither did I. There was something about them… Something I’d not have anything in common with.’  
After leaving the Great Hall they returned to the Gryffindor dormitory for books. Rose grabbed hers lazily as if she was falling asleep while standing.  
‘What about Charms?’ asked Hermione, seeing only two books in her hand.  
‘I don’t really need it,’ Rose replied as they were leaving the dormitory and headed for class. ‘I am so tired. I hope I won’t fall asleep because if I will professor McGonagall’s gonna kill me,’ Hermione laughed.  
‘Don’t worry. I won’t let you either fall asleep or die.’  
The staircase seemed moodier than Rose was. They did what they wanted, it took a long time to get on the first floor. They were going down a long corridor chatting, Hermione admired the knight armours and torches standing at the walls of the castle.  
‘I’ve read the whole book for Transfiguration,’ she said. Rose raised her eyebrows at her again, ‘I thought it’s good to be prepared. Can I tell you a secret?’  
‘Of course,’ she answered, bewildered with her question.  
‘I come from a non-magical family. I hadn’t known anything about your world before I received a letter. I – I was afraid that I’ll be worse than actual wizards and – I wanted to know as much as possible,’ the Headmaster’s granddaughter nodded with understanding, ‘I wanted to ask if you know any spells that aren’t in our Charms course book?’  
‘Sorry, Hermione, but I don’t even have a course book,’ Rose whispered to her. ‘I know a lot of spells and knew I won’t need a book.’  
‘Right, I should guess so. In the end, you’re the granddaughter of the most powerful wizard in the world. I’m under impression of his achievements.’  
‘Believe me, I’m under impression too.’  
As they get into classroom and saw professor McGonagall already standing next to her desk, awaiting all students to come, they sat down in the first row.  
‘Good morning, professor McGonagall,’ Rose had said. Minerva replied her the same, then greeted others.  
‘Today,’ she said, ‘I’m going to provide you with basics. We’ll discuss your course book. Has everyone got one?’ she asked, looking around the classroom. Students raised them to show. ‘Very good. Well, let’s start then,’ at the same moment Harry and Ron ran into the classroom, panting. ‘Oh, Mr Potter and Mr Weasley decided to join us. You’re late,’ the witch gave them a stern look.  
‘We’re so sorry, professor McGonagall,’ said Harry. ‘It won’t happen again. We promise.’  
‘Alright then. Sit down,’ Rose snorted with laughter, then realising what she’d done she started to pretend having a cough. She had noticed the way professor McGonagall was looking at her. It was a stern and disapproving look.  
‘I’m sorry,’ she said, then whispered to Hermione, ‘Famous Harry Potter thinks he can do whatever he wants?’ Granger smiled at her understandingly.

  
*

  
Professor Snape entered the classroom in the dungeons, slamming the door. Rose and other students almost jumped up and chatter stopped. This time, they had class with Slytherin what meant seeing a rat-faced Draco Malfoy and listening to mean comments from Slytherins.  
‘Better shut up or I’ll hex you,’ Rose had said to Malfoy as he joked about Harry’s scar saying he must have been struck with the lightning very hard. All Gryffindors and Slytherins watched the scene taking place in front of their eyes carefully.  
‘Are you threatening me?’ asked Malfoy.  
‘No, I’m just warning you,’ she answered, sending him an ill-intentioned glare.  
The Potions Master was standing in front of them, his arms crossed against his chest, and observed carefully all students sitting in his classroom.  
‘There will be no wand-waving or casting stupid spells in this classroom,’ he announced. Rose knew Snape could be cold and do not let anyone notice any other facet of his than the baleful one. ‘I can teach you how to control minds, brew glory and even death,’ his eyes stopped on Harry, ‘It seems that one of you already knows everything and decided to NOT LISTEN TO ME!’ Ron struck Harry with his elbow. Potter put the quill away and looked at the professor who went on, ‘I can see that famous Harry Potter honoured us with his presence at Hogwarts. Please, Mr Potter,’ Snape started. Rose looked at him, bewildered, then at Harry who seemed to not know what was going on. ‘Tell me what will happen when I add a powdered root of asphodel to the infusion from wormwood?’ Hermione hand went up in the air while Harry shook his head. ‘You don’t know, Mr Potter? Very well. Where will you look for bezoar when I’ll tell you to find it?’  
‘I’m sorry. I don’t know it, too.’  
‘What a shame. As we can see fame is not everything, isn’t that right Mr Potter?’ asked Snape. Rose was raising her eyebrows in awe, not knowing what to think about thing that actually had happened. ‘That was mean,’ she thought.  
‘Open your books. We’re gonna discuss the first topic.’  
Tormenting over Harry seemed to have no end. Severus Snape was asking him questions Harry didn’t know answers to. Rose was not surprised, knowing that Harry was raised by Muggles who didn’t want him even to go to Hogwarts. She decided to stop it by raising her hand.  
‘Excuse me, professor. I have a question,’ Snape turned his eyes on her. Harry sighed with relief. He decided to thank Rose after class. ‘I was wondering,’ she tried to come up with any good question Snape wouldn’t laugh at. ‘If I add a powdered root of asphodel to infusion from wormwood and brew the Draught of Living Death,’ she started. Snape’s face changed its expression from cold to rather intrigued. ‘How long the person I’ll give the potion to will sleep?’  
‘It shouldn’t interest you, Miss Dumbledore. This potion is discussed during sixth year,’ he replied.  
‘I know, but –‘  
‘It shouldn’t interest you,’ he repeated this time firmly. ‘Please, stay after class. I think, Miss Dumbledore, that we need to talk.’  
Rose sighed, resigned, to look at Hermione. Her eyes were saying everything which Rose already knew, ‘You’re in trouble.’  
When class were dismissed Rose was still sitting at the desk and waited until all students leave the classroom. Professor Snape was standing next to his desk, his arms crossed, eyes looking coldly at the Headmaster’s granddaughter. He waved his wand and shut the door. Rose got up and came up to him.  
‘Yes, professor Snape?’ she asked, her hands behind back.  
‘Potion will be ready in three days,’ he announced, then added, ‘Please, keep away from such topics as the dark arts, death, or unforgiveable curses.’  
‘Oh, but I – I – I just like knowing things. I’m very curious of the world, didn’t have bad intentions –‘  
‘I believe,’ Rose sighed, then confessed, ‘I just wanted you to stop tormenting Harry. He didn’t deserve it.’  
‘How do you know?’ Rose mouth opened in surprise and voice stuck in her throat. ‘You may go,’ she didn’t say a word, only turned around on heel and left the classroom. In the corridor she saw waiting for her Harry, Hermione and Ron. She gave them a questioning look.  
‘I wanted to thank you,’ said Potter. ‘I don’t know how long he could torment over me if you hadn’t stopped him.’  
‘You’re welcome. I’m Rose by the way.’  
‘Harry, this is Ron,’ he pointed at his friend. Suddenly, Hermione interfered being unable to wait more, ‘What did he say?’  
‘Nothing. Just gave me a warning.’  
‘Luckily didn’t take any points,’ Ron noticed. ‘He hates Gryffindors. So what? Lunch, anyone?’

  
*

  
Through all September and October Rose didn’t visit her grandfather’s office even once. She was mainly focusing on studying Transfiguration and Potions, subjects she was completely hopeless at. Every time they had Potions Snape was tormenting over Harry, Ron or Neville Longbottom. Especially when it came to brewing potions.  
On October thirty first, Rose along with Hermione, Ron and Harry was sitting in the first row during Charms class with professor Flitwick. She used one book along with Hermione as she hadn’t bought one. At first lesson, Flitwick had asked her why hadn’t she got a book? Rose said that she’d lost hers and couldn’t find it.  
‘Today, we’re going to practise a levitation charm. It’s called Wingardium Leviosa. Do you have your feathers?’ students raised up feathers to show. ‘Excellent!’ Rose leaned on her hand, bored. She was the only one who didn’t even try to cast a spell as she already was able to do it, ‘Remember about circling gently using your wrist.’  
‘Ron, no. Stop!’ said Hermione, stopping Ron from waving his wand as if he was whishing mosquitoes away. ‘You’re doing it wrong. Be careful because you may gouge someone’s eyes out. You’re pronouncing it wrong. It’s Levi-oh-sa not Levio-sah.’  
‘Really? Show then if you’re so smart and know-it-all.’  
Hermione took her wand and circled it gently using her wrist, then said, ‘Wingardium Leviosa!’ her feather started raising up, within every second it was higher and higher. Ron looked, surprised, then unhappy lay his head on his hands on the desk.  
‘Well done, Miss Granger! Ten points to Gryffindor!’ Flitwick called out with excitement. While professor Flitwick was talking to his students, one of them was waving his wand airily, saying the spell completely wrong. That person was Seamus Finnigan who after a while made his feather explode. Everyone, including professor Flitwick, was shocked and almost jumped up from his seat.  
‘Something didn’t work,’ said Rose, leaning backwards.  
‘Mr Finnigan, how did you do it?’ asked professor, staring at the black burning on the desk. ‘Anyway, thank you all. Congratulations, Miss Granger. Class dismissed.’  
Harry and Ron along with Seamus and Dean were going across the backyard, joking about Hermione, ‘This is Levi-oh-sa, not Levio-sah,’ Ron quoted. ‘Not surprising at all that no one likes her.’  
When the boys laughed, Hermione passed by hearing all of those terrible things they’d said. Rose, who tried to catch up with her, gave them a glare; her hair turned furious red; but Hermione was going faster and faster, sobbing.  
‘I think she heard it,’ said Harry as the boys came to a halt.  
In the evening, everyone gathered in the Great Hall to celebrate Halloween. For this special occasion the ceiling was conjured that so students were able to see the night sky, above their heads flying pumpkins. All ghosts honoured feasts with their presence, Harry had a chance of talking to sir Nicholas de Mimsy and really enjoyed the conversation until he asked why he’s called the Nearly Headless Nick. In response the ghost grabbed his hair and banked it on the right. Harry and his friends were able to see how Nick’s head barely was keeping, they could see muscles and bones after beheading.  
‘Ew!’  
At the same moment, Rose ran into the Great Hall looking around. Evidently, she was looking for someone, she ran up to the Gryffindor’s table.  
‘Have you seen Hermione?’ she asked.  
‘Parvati said she had closed herself in the Moaning’s Myrtle bathroom and is baaing,’ Neville replied. Rose immediately left the Great Hall and headed towards the second floor.  
‘Hermione?’ she asked, coming in. Rose looked around but didn’t see her friend anywhere. ‘Hermione, are you still here?’ she was answered by a silent sob. ‘Hermione, please, let’s go at the feast.’  
‘No!’ she called out.  
‘Hermione,’ Rose knocked on the door, ‘Do not care about an opinion of that redhead. I like you if you ask me,’ she admitted. ‘I really do. Come on, let’s get out from here. You should see decorations in the Great Hall, come on! You’ll be amazed, I’m assuring you.’  
Finally, the door of the cabin opened and Hermione stood in front of Rose. Her eyes red, puffy from crying. She nodded at her and washed her face with cold water. When they had headed toward the exit they heard a loud bang, as something huge was taking steps in the second floor’s corridor.  
‘What was that?’ asked Rose, petrified. She had pulled out her wand at once, ready to attack. However, her friend were unable to move as she couldn’t let out a word. After a while in the threshold they saw an enormous Mountain Troll. ‘Merlin’s beard. What is it doing here at school?’ Rose thought out loud, catching troll’s attention at the same time. It waved towards girls with its bludgeon, missing. ‘HERMIONE, RUN!’  
In the same moment, Harry and Ron ran into the bathroom. Potter shouted to them that they had to escape but girls couldn’t find any way to pass by the troll which waved with its bludgeon again. This time it destroyed the upper parts of the cabins, Hermione managed to fall on the floor and avoid the strike. The water ran down the floor, gushing from the broken sinks.  
‘HERMIONE!’  
‘HELP US!’ Rose was hiding under the sinks but the troll hit them as well. The granddaughter of Dumbledore luckily had managed to move fast to avoid the strike, her hair turned blue from fear. ‘GUYS, COME ON!’  
‘Hey, you idiot!’ Ron shouted, hitting the troll’s head with a brick. It turned around and headed towards the boys. Rose didn’t even notice when and how Harry found himself at the troll’s head, which was trying to throw him off. Rose was unable to reach her wand as she dropped it when troll had waved its bludgeon.  
‘RON!’ Hermione called out. ‘WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA! REMEMBER WHAT I’VE TOLD YOU!’ Weasley pulled out his wand, waved it confidently and properly cast the spell, ‘WINGARDIUM LEVIOSA!’ troll’s bludgeon soared up in the air and then hit its head. Harry fell onto the ground and as the creature started to sway, he backed off. Luckily, he had managed before the troll hit the ground.  
‘Ew! Troll’s bogeys,’ Ron winced, disgusted as Harry had pulled out his wand from the troll’s nose. Hermione and Rose got up, were looking at the creature lying on the floor. At the same moment, four teachers ran into the bathroom. McGonagall let out a sigh of surprise mixed with shock, gripping her chest.  
‘You – You,’ she started, not being able to say a word. ‘What happened here?’  
‘It attacked us,’ Rose replied simply, Snape rolled his eyes. ‘I was looking for Hermione, because she wasn’t at the feast. I was worried and when we were about to get back, this – ordinary creature turned up and attacked. Harry and Ron helped us.’  
‘We were looking for them to warn them,’ Harry announced. ‘They had no idea about troll being at school.’  
Snape looked emotionless as usual, Rose thought that probably he was thinking about taking points from Gryffindor. Rose looked at her grandpa who wasn’t saying anything, ‘Not many first-years would survive the meeting with a Mountain Troll,’ said professor McGonagall, looking at them. ‘I’m taking ten points from each of you for such a reckless behaviour. And fifteen points for each of you for lucky surviving,’ the Great Four smiled at each other widely. ‘Go back to your dormitories.’  
‘Professor Quirrell, you’ll take care of the troll, won’t you?’ asked Dumbledore and as the wizard nodded he left the bathroom along with other teachers and students.  
‘I had an honour to be the guest at Nearly Headless Nick’s birthday party,’ said Harry all of the sudden.  
‘Oh, and how was it?’ asked Rose as they went out from the corridor.  
‘Deadly serious.’  
Everyone had understood the allusion and when they stepped on the stairs they moved towards completely different floor. Quickly, they entered a dark corridor, very spooky, with spider-webbed knight armours and torches which lighted up after a second.  
‘You know what? I think – I think life we shouldn’t be here for some reason,’ said Ron, his voice trembling.  
‘We CANNOT even be here,’ said Hermione. ‘It’s third floor. The forbidden one.’  
‘Meow,’ they heard under their feet. As they looked down they saw a cat. But it wasn't an ordinary cat.  
‘It’s FILCH’S CAT!’ CLEAR OUT!’ Rose called out, then along with her friends started to run towards the end of the corridor where they came across the closed door.  
‘IT’S LOCKED!’  
‘Hermione, open it! Quickly!’ said Rose, looking back to see whether Filch wasn’t coming that way. As she turned around and Hermione opened the door they heard his voice, ‘WHO’S THERE?’  
The Great Four hastily came into the room behind the door and closed them immediately.  
‘Alohomora?’ asked Ron, raising his eyebrows.  
‘STANDARD SPELLS, chapter four,’ replied Hermione. ‘It’s a spell to open things.’  
‘I’ve noticed, thanks.’  
‘Guys,’ said Harry unexpectedly. As everyone turned around they noticed him pointing at three-headed dog lying on the floor. Rose looked on its enormous, sharp paws seeing it was standing on a trapdoor. The dog opener its eyes and as it woke up it showed its sharp white teeth and glared at them malevolently. The Great Four screamed and ran out from the room, trying to shut the door not letting the snout to get out.  
‘Have your grandpa gone mad?!’ asked Ron as they returned to the Common Room. ‘Keeping something like this in school?!’  
‘HEY,’ Rose pulled out her wand abruptly and grabbed Ron for his robe, pointing at him with fury in her eyes, ‘DO NOT TALK ABOUT MY GRANDPA LIKE THAT.’  
‘Rose, Ron, stop it!’ Harry called out, pulling the girl away from his best friend.  
‘Haven’t you even noticed?’ asked Hermione, ‘What he was standing on?’  
‘Yes,’ said Rose when the boys together at the same time said, ‘No.’  
The girls looked at them, clearly disappointed with their lack of observation skills.  
‘He was standing on a trapdoor. I bet he’s guarding something.’  
‘Guarding something?’ Harry repeated. ‘Like what?’  
‘I don’t know. Anyway, forgive me for now but I’m gonna sleep before we’re gonna get killed or worse, expelled,’ said the witch, then sent them a glare and shut the door to the girls’ dormitory behind herself. The young wizards looked at Rose questioningly.  
‘Don’t even ask. I don’t know. She’s just the way she is,’ she said, waving her hand, resigned. ‘I think I should go to sleep as well. It was a very eventful day. Goodnight, Harry. Goodnight, Ron.’  
‘Goodnight,’ they answered as Rose had stepped into the room and been about to close the door.  
‘Let’s go, Harry. We have to get up early tomorrow,’ said Ron, turning around toward the dorm. Harry followed him, looking back at the closed by his friend door to the girls’ dorm.

  
*

  
Rose was walking lazily toward the Great Hall. She didn’t wait for Hermione that morning, she was too hungry. She had had the nightmare again. She had been having nightmares very frequently and it didn't pass. She wanted to skip all classes that day, to sleep hoping she will not have nightmares again.  
She entered the Great Hall and headed toward the Gryffindor’s table. She sat down loudly as if the dragon had hit with its tail, then lay her head on the table.  
‘Rose,’ she heard Percy’s voice but didn’t reply. Her eyes were closed, she knew she was about to fall asleep any minute now. ‘Rose,’ someone stroke her with an elbow. She looked up and saw Dean Thomas. ‘Don’t sleep.’  
‘I can’t, I wanna sleep. I wanna skip class and go to bed.’  
‘Ah, nah. Aren’t you excited with our first flying class?’ asked he, smiling. ‘Cuz I am!’  
‘I don’t care, I’ve never flown before. I just don’t wanna fall off the broom,’ she replied, pouring some pumpkin juice in the glass, then looked around frowning her eyebrows and asked, ‘Where’s tea?’  
Suddenly, she felt someone patting her arm. As she turned around to see who it was, two red-haired twins sat next to her. Rose had known those boys before, they were Ron’s brothers. Fred and George Weasley were the ones who adored causing mischief to school, in a good way, especially to Mr Filch who hated them with all his heart, ‘Hi, Rose,’ they said nonchalantly.  
‘Whatcha doin’?’  
‘Wanna brag ‘bout things?’  
‘Maybe you’d like to see something new?’  
‘Or hear something new? Because you know –‘  
‘WE KNOW!’ they called out together, smiling then high-fived. Rose smiled softly, a bit surprised but happy at the same time that someone could make her feel better.  
‘No, not really. I – I have to eat something and go. Have Flying class at eight,’ she groaned, closing her eyes. After a while she heard the voices of her friends who were walking toward her and sat next to Fred and George.  
‘What are you doing here?’ asked Ron.  
‘We’re having a breakfast, dear brother,’ George explained.  
‘You know what I’m talking about!’ Ron meant that one of the brothers was sitting on his place.  
‘You don’t have to sit in the same place all the time. You can change it, you know?’ Rose snorted, cannot stop her laugh wanting to get out from her throat. ‘Besides, Rose likes our company.’  
‘I like the company all of you,’ she added immediately, taking a bite of another sandwich with cheese, tomato and cucumber.  
‘Never mind,’ Ron said and decided to sit down next to Harry.


	6. Nighmares Come at Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone. So, I'm ill and don't attend classes. I thought it'd be great to use this time for something useful. Here's another chapter, it's different this time in a way that written in different POVs. I think I'm gonna write them in this way from now on, because it's much easier and better written. Anyway, enjoy! :)
> 
> P.S. I was crying while writing this chapter, so I hope you'll like it.

**NIGHTMARES COME AT NIGHT**

 

**ROSE**

 

Hi, everyone. You know who I am, you already know me. Yes, that’s me. Rose Ariana Dumbledore-Evenhart. ‘Til this day I had no idea who I am, more or less. At least, until this evening.

My day was great! Not that something terrible happened, Merlin no. I helped Harry, gained even more respect from my fellows Gryffindors, however Neville broke his arm. He fell off the broom, and then everything started.

            ‘ROSE, C’MON!’ Harry called out towards me. I bit my lower lip thinking that it would be inappropriate to be expelled as Madam Hooch had said. ‘ _But I’m the Headmaster’s granddaughter so they won’t expel me, however Harry might be expelled but if I defend him my grandpa won’t expel him because he likes him. So…,_ ’ I mounted the broom and bounced from the ground, trying to keep balance on the broom flying up towards my best friend and rat-faced Malfoy.

            ‘ROSE, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?’ I heard Hermione calling for me when I flew up to Harry and Malfoy. ‘Don’t be such an idiot!’

            ‘Give it back, Malfoy,’ I said firmly, squinting my eyes at him. Even afterwards when we were celebrating Harry’s becoming the youngest Seeker of our Quidditch team, Seamus Finnigan give me a nickname ‘Furious B(londi)ee’. Not that I didn’t like it, I really did. I was so happy being surrounded by all of those people, especially my friends: Harry, Hermione and Ron. Even though I am only eleven years old, I know I’d do anything for them, even sacrifice my life if needed.

            ‘Harry,’ I said to him, giving him a big hug, ‘Congratulations! Oh my Merlin, I’m so happy. Finally, you’ll be able to kick their butts!’

            He smiled widely, replying, ‘Well, thanks, Rose. However I’m not sure if I wanna do it as a Seeker. I suppose Fred and George are better in this case as they’re Beaters.’

            I laughed, then looked at the Weasley brothers and the clock placed upon a fireplace. I’d decided to leave the party a little bit earlier. I wanted to visit my uncle that evening, even though it was already late and knew I could have trouble, probably he’d have taken some points from me but I didn’t care. I wanted to talk to him about my dad, my mum, him.

            ‘Sorry, guys but I have to go,’ I said, getting up from the couch and giving him a smile.

            ‘Where?’ asked Hermione, clearly bewildered.

            ‘Well – to my – grandpa! Yes, to my grandpa! I have to talk to him.’

            ‘Alright, but don’t be long. It’s already late. You may get detention if Snape finds you wandering at Hogwarts so late.’

            ‘Sure,’ I winked at her, then took my sweatshirt and left the Common Room. That evening I found it surprising that the stairs were not moving at all. I could just walk down until I got to the corridor on the fifth floor and used a shortcut through portrait.

            There was no one in the dungeons. No one amongst my friends liked that place, however I found it really mysterious, wrapped in darkness. Their cool air always calmed my mind down, I could breathe as if in my natural habitat. That was weird…

            I headed towards the door leading to a classroom but it turned out it was closed. I pulled out my wand then and opened them to find myself in an empty room. It is ineffable to define how I was feeling, without students around, or my uncle demonstrating how to brew a potion properly, or just wandering around the classroom peeking in to the students’ cauldrons from time to time. But in that moment, there was only me in a cold room and silence. The door to a cupboard was also closed, it wasn’t weird since it was almost eleven o’clock. I approached another door, finding itself in the corner of the classroom, where it was almost unnoticeable. I knocked. The door opened.

            ‘What brings you here so late?’ he asked as he saw me standing in the threshold. I’ve never seen him in a casual version, he was always wearing a black robe, never seen him in a grey sweater before.

            ‘Nice sweater!’ I called out, smiling but evidently he didn’t appreciate this compliment as his face expression told me he was getting more and more irritated. ‘Are you busy, uncle?’

            ‘Not really, but taking into account it’s eleven in the evening and you should have been in bed two hours ago as all first-years, but decided to come here instead I guess you must have a reason. I hope it’s a good reason.’

            I looked at him a bit shy, ‘My dad. I’m here ‘cuz of my parents.’ He sighed.

            ‘Rose, we talked about this many times. If your grandfather doesn’t want you to know I cannot object. He’s my boss after all.’

            ‘Why does everyone ignore my questions? Why does no one want to tell me anything about my father? I know a lot about mum, how great student she was, sorted in Gryffindor, met my dad when she was sixteen. They married after graduating, I was born, my mum was working as a specialist to the Law of Magical Creatures in the Ministry. But why no one tells anything about my dad?’

            I think my words woke up some feelings in him, because his face expression changed almost immediately, he seemed to wonder what to reply, looking down at the cold floor. Silence fell between us and all we could hear was the wind blowing behind the window.

            ‘Come in. We’re not gonna stand here like this,’ he said, inviting me in.

            It has been a long time since I was in my uncle’s chambers. They weren’t as gloomy as the dungeons themselves, most of the space was taken by bookshelves. He pointed at the old red armchair in which I sat down. He sat down in the opposite.

            ‘What would you like to know?’

            ‘What was his name?’  he seemed to hesitate for a moment, however after a long while he responded, ‘David – David Evenhart.’

            ‘Had he any siblings?’

            ‘An older brother, Amadeus. They were both in Slytherin.’

            ‘How did you two meet?’ I noticed he had smiled under his breath at that question, then chuckled loudly. ‘What?’

            ‘Um – Nothing. It’s just – we met on a train to Hogwarts. I treated him as my brother whom I never had. He was my best friend, the only one who never left me. Another one left of course, because I said something – something terrible. It was your godmother.’

            ‘My – My godmother?’ I asked as I managed to let the words leave my throat. ‘I have a godmother?!’ I couldn’t believe it. It seemed that I had no idea about anything, my grandpa really hadn’t told me anything besides things he wanted to say.

            ‘You _had_. She died ten years ago during the First Wizarding War. In the end, we made it up. I was very happy, I don’t remember any other event of my life which had ever made me so happy,’ he smiled, looking away. ‘When you were born, it was your father who asked me for being your godfather. And I didn’t want to agree. ‘ _Why not?_ ’ he asked, and I replied, _‘Because she won’t be safe with me._ Rose, you have no idea how great impact your birth had on us all. When I say ‘us all’ I mean all of us. Your grandfather made it up with your father, I made up with your godmother.

            ‘Your father left so many things and people behind to keep you safe. Those were very dark times, Rose. We suspected what may happen, however we didn’t – I suppose no one didn’t really believe that the Dark Lord will – will decide to kill you.’

            ‘The Dark Lord?’ I asked, expecting him continue, ‘Why are you calling him _the Dark Lord?_ ’

            ‘We used to call him that. He was the only one person I started being very afraid of. I’ve gone through a lot, Rose, and believe me I had never feared anyone – ANYONE so much as him. Eventually, when we’ve found out what’s gonna happen immediately we informed your grandfather,’ he stopped for a while, ‘But it was too late.’

            He still wasn’t answering to my question, but I didn’t mind finding out things I had had no clue about. I could see suffering in his black eyes, his face went almost white.

            ‘After your father’s death I couldn’t really – I didn’t know what to do with myself, you know? It was – His death hurt me very much. I felt as if I had lost a brother, because that who he was to me. A brother.’

            ‘What people and what things my dad left behind?’ I asked.

            ‘I cannot tell you that, Rose.’

            ‘Why not?’

            ‘Because you’re not ready to hear this story,’ he said coldly.

            ‘You know if no one tells me eventually I’ll find out, don’t you?’ he didn’t reply. I got up and thanked him for his time and telling me, then as I was about to shut the door he said, ‘Wait! I’ll walk you –‘

            ‘No, I can manage. Thank you, uncle,’ and I shut the door. I left his chambers, classroom locking each door with a spell, then headed on the sixth floor and on the seventh one to our dormitory. My head was filled with screaming at each other thoughts, cries and voices telling me to go to my grandpa’s office, but I knew I was under my emotions’ control and it wasn’t a good idea to argue with him while being emotional.

            And now I’m sitting here, writing this in my diary and I don’t know what to think. I’m going to sleep, I’m exhausted.

 

*

 

I was wandering in the corridors I never had seen before. I saw a long circling staircase leading up. I took one step, then another and another until I found myself on a rooftop. I could see telescopes, night sky lighted by bright stars and my grandpa sitting on the floor and looking up at the sky. I approached him and sat down next to him.

            ‘Grandpa?’ he turned his eyes on me and smiled, then looked up at the night sky again. I felt so peaceful, my eyes welled up with tears because of seeing the beauty of the night. Whoever said that the night was ugly was wrong. Night is beautiful, only then we can look deep into our souls and find ourselves. I felt so safe with my grandpa, sitting next to him and watching the night sky. Usually, we hadn’t much time to spend it with each other, so it was a very precious moment in my life. I was so happy…

            As we were sitting without saying anything I’ve heard someone behind my back saying, ‘AVADA KEDAVRA,’ and the green light hit my grandpa. I tried to grab his hand but it was too late. He was falling down onto the ground, my eyes welled up with tears again and as I turned around to see the face of a murderer I woke up. Sweated, crying and screaming.

 

*

I was sitting on my bed, crying, with Hermione next to me trying to calm me down, but there was no way to calm me down, none of the girls was able to. I had woken them up with my screams, and all of them instinctively grabbed their wands. As they had seen what was going on they approached my bed, trying to talk to me.

            ‘I need – I need to talk to my grandpa,’ I cried. ‘I wanna see him. I wanna see him.’

            ‘Someone go and get professor McGonagall!’ Angelina called out, caressing my hair. ‘Hush, Rose. It’s gonna be alright. It was just a nightmare,’ I shook my head, then said, ‘My dreams used to come true before. I – I have to see him.’

            My confession seemed to shock them, I was unable to calm down. I was sure the worst happened and my grandpa was dead. I treated him awfully and felt guilty thinking he might have been killed. I pulled my hair, screaming through gritted teeth, almost pulling out a few of strands.

            ‘Rose, calm down. Katie went for professor McGonagall, I’m sure she’ll take you to your grandpa, okay? But calm down. Calm down,’ said Hermione, looking worryingly at other girls. At the same moment, Minerva came into our dorm, girls making a way for her.

            ‘Rose, what happened?’ she asked, sitting down next to me. It was unusual seeing her in her night gown, having bags under her eyes, her grey hair lose. She seemed so human.

            ‘My grandpa’s dead,’ I cried out loudly. I knew girls were looking at us, each of them worried, even petrified.

            ‘What are you talking about?’ professor McGonagall asked deadly serious. I looked at her with my red puffy eyes, tears still leaking down my cheeks and neck. I was barely to say a word, not letting my voice break.

            ‘I – I had a dream in which he was killed. I know – My dreams used to come true before. Things I dreamt about happened.’

            ‘Very well, let’s go then,’ she took me by the arm and led out from the dorm, then down the staircase until we got to the Common Room, then through the portrait and with each minute I was even more terrified of not seeing my grandpa anywhere, his body lying somewhere completely abandoned.

            Somehow, I managed to reach the entrance to his office. And as the statue heard the password the gold gryffin started turning around upwards. When we stood in front of the door I burst out crying again. I tried to smother my cry but it was almost impossible. We came inside but my grandpa was nowhere. I expected the worst.

            ‘Wait here, Rose,’ said professor McGonagall calmly, then went upstairs to my grandpa’s chambers. I expected her to come back alone telling me my grandpa isn’t there, but after a while she returned with him.

            ‘Rosie, what happened?’ he asked, walking downstairs hastily then approached me and grabbed by my arms.

            ‘I – I had a dream where someone killed you. I am so sorry grandpa for how I was treating and avoiding you, that I hadn’t been visiting you. I was so petrified you might be dead, that dream was too real to be a dream.’

            ‘Rosie, I’m fine. I’m not dead,’ I cried in his arms like a seven-year-old as he was hugging me. ‘Hush, it’s alright. It’s alright. Calm down, calm down.’

            ‘Bring Severus in and tell him to bring Sleeping Draught along with him,’ I heard him saying, then professor McGonagall’s steps and the door shutting. ‘Sit down, Rosie.’

            ‘Please, grandpa, never die. I won’t survive if you do,’ I said, hugging him even more. I felt as if my heart was tearing apart, ‘Please, please, grandpa. Never leave me. I need you.’

            ‘I’m not going to, Rosie.’

            Hearing his voice calmed me down. I was so tired that almost fell asleep in his arms.  I felt like a vulnerable child, clenching his hand. I didn’t want to let go of his hand. At the very same moment, the door opened and I heard even more steps, then my uncle’s voice.

            ‘Did you call me over, Headmaster?’

            ‘Yes, Severus. Did you bring the potion?’

            ‘Yes,’ my grandpa reached out his hand towards him, then gave me a vial with a liquid in. ‘Drink it, Rosie. You’ll fall asleep almost immediately and have no nightmares.’

            As I drunk the potion and gave him back a vial, I felt as my eyes are shutting down, I could open and close them for a while, but then I couldn’t open them anymore. Suddenly, I felt so numb, lay my head on grandpa’s chest and fell asleep. 

*

**DUMBLEDORE**

I felt as Rose is sinking into my arms, then took her in them and looked at Severus and Minerva. I took Rose to her chambers and lay her down on the bed, covering with a duvet. That night was very cold, I didn’t want her to get cold or what worse, to freeze.

            I returned to my office, then sent Fawkes to her room to keep an eye on her. I was very worried with Rosie’s words. My mind could not resist but wonder why she had had that particular nightmare. For a long while, I was perambulating in my office thinking. I could feel Minerva and Severus’s eyes on me as of many other portraits.

            ‘Headmaster, could you tell me why did you call me over with Sleeping Draught at four in the morning?’ asked he.

            ‘Rose had a nightmare,’ Minerva replied instead of me, ‘in which professor Dumbledore was killed. She was sure he’s dead, and when I say she was sure it means she really was. Katie Bell ran to my chambers, telling me that no one was able to calm her down, that she woke up from a nightmare saying her grandfather’s dead. ‘Albus,’ she said to me. I looked up at her, and just then I noticed I was stroking my beard for all this time, ‘She told me she had had dreams that came true before.’

   

            ‘She – She used to tell me that many times, but – you see, I am very sceptical of divination. I’ve never believed anyone besides Sybill. Now, I’m afraid – that all those dreams she had might have or might, in the future of course, come true,’ I thought out loud.

            ‘What are you gonna do?’

            ‘And what can I do?’ I asked, throwing up my hands. ‘We cannot escape death, Minerva.’

            ‘I’ve never seen her like that before,’ she said, looking worried. Not only was she, also Severus looked rather heavy-hearted. ‘For a moment I thought she’s gonna break down completely!’

            ‘Headmaster,’ said Severus all of the sudden. I turned my eyes on him, ‘if I may … I think we should never ignore our dreams, however how do we know for sure that hers are prophetic? What if they’re not prophetic? What if they’re being created by someone else?’

            ‘You’re not thinking -,’ Minerva interrupted.

            ‘Legillimency. But who would like to use it on Rosie?’ I wondered, then an answer came to me immediately, ‘How would he manage to do it? Even if he’s alive he’s too weak. Unless he uses someone else.’

            ‘But whom?’ Minerva asked. ‘There’s too many Death Eaters outside there ready to sacrifice for him! How can we possibly find out who’s doing is this?’

            ‘Headmaster,’ Severus said, looking at me suspiciously, ‘I do not suggest anything but I just wanted to ask. Have you ever used legillimency on her?’

            I was startled with his question, but it shouldn’t have surprised me he had decided to ask particularly this one. It was no secret for teachers at Hogwarts or any people, who know me very well, that I am able use legillimency on them and in this case, nothing would hide from me. I thought about my little granddaughter smiling, laughing, and as I saw before a while, also crying. It was breaking my heart to see her like that.

            ‘No,’ I answered honestly. ‘Never.’


	7. Nicolas Flamel. WHO? Nicolas Flamel. WHO?

**HARRY**

 

I heard as everyone started to get up and moving around, leaving the dorm for a bathroom or breakfast but I didn’t want to get up. Ron seemed to be still sleeping and if I could I’d continue sleeping. My stomach demanded food, I put my glasses on and, not being able to resist, yawed loudly. And that was obviously a thing that woke Ronald up.

            ‘We have to go,’ I said, discouraged. ‘We have Charms at eight.’

            ‘Merlin,’ he groaned, turning around on the other side, ‘As if Flitwick couldn’t be ill just once…’

            We got dressed in our robes and after ten minutes headed to the Great Hall, meeting Hermione already having her breakfast. We said ‘hi’ and sat down next to her, and then I saw there wasn’t Rose anywhere.

            ‘Hermione,’ I said to her. She looked up at me questioningly, ‘Where’s Rose?’

            ‘Oh,’ she let out. Suddenly, she got sad and looked down at her plate. I got seriously worried.

            ‘What? Did something happen to her?’ I asked.

            ‘Well, not really. You see, Rose woke up from a nightmare last night. At the beginning, we thought someone had broken in to our dorm but she had only a nightmare. Well, maybe not only a nightmare but she gave us all a fright.

            ‘She was repeating that her grandpa was dead. We couldn’t calm her down. McGonagall came and took her to Dumbledore’s office. We haven’t seen her since. But, that’s not everything,’ we asked at her questioningly, ‘She told us that her dreams had used to come true before.’

            When I was about to reply we heard owls screeching above our heads. I looked up and saw Hedwig flying towards us, she dropped a newspaper on the table and landed. I gave her a snack, asking her for flying away to the Owlery. I rolled up a paper and saw the headline telling about the robbery at Gringotts. I read it to Ron and Hermione and realised that I had been with the same vault with Hagrid before. As I told them Hermione looked at us, clearly thinking intensively. However, she was so mysterious that it was difficult to guess what she was thinking about in her big brain.

            ‘Hagrid took something from the vault and said it’d be safer at Hogwarts.’

            ‘You think – Maybe it’s the same thing that dog is guarding?’ Hermione wondered out loud.

            ‘That night when someone had let the troll in, I saw Snape’s leg was bleeding,’ both of my friends gave me the same look. ‘That night he went to the dog on the third floor and was bitten by it.’

            ‘But why did he even go there?’ asked Ron. That was a good question none of us knew answer to.

            ‘We should talk to Hagrid. I suppose he knows what’s going on here.’

            We had so many classes that day that we even had no chance to leave the castle and visit Hagrid to talk to him and what worse, we hadn’t been seeing Rose all day. I started to worry.

            Another day passed and she wasn’t back. I haven’t seen her at class, couldn’t tell her what a surprise came that morning. While me, Ron and Hermione were sitting at the table in the Great Hall studying, my owl flew in bringing a long package. When we opened it I saw a broom and I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was my first broom, as it turned out later on it was from professor McGonagall who had bought it for me. No one, besides Harry and Hermione, had been so kind to me before. I knew Hogwarts was my real home.

            I trained with Oliver until the first match began. For the first time, since many days I saw Rose along with Ron, Hermione and Hagrid on a tribune cheering on. She waved at me, smiling widely. I was glad to finally see her, but I had to focus on the game, find the Snitch. I noticed it flying just in front of my face, but I wasn’t the only one who had noticed it. As I flew next to Flint he followed me. We had been losing points and I knew the sooner I catch the Snitch the better. When Oliver had fallen off from the broom, hit by a Bludger, Slytherin started to win, already having thirty points more.

 

*

**HERMIONE**

The match was getting worse with every minute. We’ve been losing and personally, believe me, I hate losing. The only thing that cheered me up in all of this was that Rose was finally back with us. I had been really worried about her, we hadn’t her from her in three days. Today was the first day she showed up, and it was at the Quidditch Match.

             I tried to search for Harry, he was above the pitch looking for a Snitch. Suddenly, I saw something weird was happening with Harry’s broom as if it wasn’t listening to him. I turned my eyes on the teachers tribune. I saw professor Snape muttering under his breath spells. He was conjuring the broom! I couldn’t believe it!

            ‘Hey, what’s going on with Harry’s broom?’ Hagrid had asked. Everyone was looking at the swinging broom which almost threw Harry off.

            ‘It’s Snape! He’s conjuring the broom!’ I said.

            ‘WHAT? It’s an absurd!’ Rose called out, giving us a malicious glare. She was about to continue but at the same moment Ron interrupted, asking, ‘Conjuring the broom? So what now? What do we do?’

            ‘I’ll take care of this,’ after that I left the Gryffindor tribune and headed toward the teachers one. I was running upstairs until I got there and pulled out my wand, hiding behind them. ‘Lacarum inflamare,’ I whispered, pointing at the Snape’s robe. I knew what will happen next, that’s why I ran away from there as soon as possible.

            When I went outside I saw Harry back on his broom flying above the pitch. I smiled, relieved then returned on our tribune to cheer up the team even more. Everyone hoped Harry will catch the Snitch, however we knew it was only his first match and being in the team during first year was already something spectacular.

            Everyone froze as Harry fell off the broom on the ground. Luckily, nothing happened to him although, ‘It looks like he’s gonna throw up,’ said Hagrid as he had looked through binoculars. Harry didn’t throw up, he spit out the Golden Snitch. Rose, whose face expression had been fearful, now burst into laughter which she couldn’t stop.

            ‘HARRY POTTER’S CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WON!’

We were so happy that Slytherin lost. Everyone was clapping hands and called Harry’s name proudly. As the players disappeared from the pitch I looked at Ron and Rose, giving them the same worried look. She tried to argue with me that professor Snape hadn’t been able to do it because Harry was a student of Hogwarts and none of the teacher wished him harm. Even though she might have been right I wasn’t convinced. I knew how to recognise a wizard hexing and Snape was tried to make Harry fall off the broom.

            We told him everything afterwards and informed also Hagrid but he didn’t seem to believe us claiming as Rose had been that it was a nonsense. We told him about our suspicions, about Halloween night, what Harry had seen.

            ‘How do you know about Fluffy?’ asked Hagrid. Rose raised her eyebrows and squinted her eyes, then asked clearly bewildered, ‘You called that – that – Fluffy?’

            ‘Hagrid, Snape wants to steal whatever it is under that trapdoor,’ said Harry firmly. ‘We have to inform professor Dumbledore!’

            ‘Harry, it’s a nonsense!’ Rose called out angrily. ‘Professor Snape would never –‘

            ‘She’s r’ght, Harry,’ said Hagrid, nodding at Rose. ‘Keep your noses out of this, al’ight and now listen to me carefully, everyone,’ said he, leaning over us so that we could hear him much better and he didn’t have to say it out loud, ‘That what is under the trapdoor concerns only professor Dumbledore and Nicolas Flamel. Keep away from it, a’right?’

            ‘Nicolas Flamel?’ Harry repeated, squinting his eyes.

            ‘I’m such a chatterbox. Oh, I am such a chatterbox,’ he was saying while walking away towards his hut.

            ‘Who’s Nicolas Flamel?’ he asked me as all of us were standing next to each other in a circle.

            ‘I don’t know,’ I replied honestly, ‘but there’s a way to find out. Come on, let’s go to the library.’

            We left the Castle Grounds to use a passage through portrait next to professor McGonagall’s classroom. We found ourselves in the first-floor corridor. All the time, we were talking about Snape and the trapdoor while Rose was rolling her eyes hearing each word of ours.

            ‘Seriously, you all believe in this bullshit?’ asked she, staring at us as if we were let out from an isolation ward at St. Mungo’s. We looked at each other, surprised of her using such a word. ‘I’ll help you with finding out who this all Nicolas Flamel is because I am curious myself, but leave Snape out of this.’

            ‘You know he hates me!’ Harry noticed. ‘Why are you defending him so much?’

            ‘Because I know him from my earliest childhood,’ she whispered as Madam Pince passed us giving Harry a glare. I was listening while flipping pages of another book I’d found but there was nothing about Nicolas Flamel. ‘And I know he would never do it.’

            ‘Maybe you don’t know him well enough then?’ Ron suggested, shrugging his shoulders. Rose hair colour changed to red.

            ‘You’re metamorphagus!’ I said, excited. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

            ‘Hermione, does it really matter?’ she asked, throwing up her hands.

            ‘Well, yes! You can change into other people!’

            ‘You can do that and you haven’t told us anything?’ asked Harry. Rose rolled her eyes again, put down the book and left the library with anger of her face. 'Did I say something wrong?' I looked at him, shaking my head. We kept on looking for hours but were unable to find anything. We returned to the Common Room, resigned, tired and disappointed.

 


	8. The Truth Reveals Itself

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get complicated as Harry, Ron and Hermione suspect Rose's godfather of being after the Stone. Meanwhile, Rose finds out the truth about her father.

October and November passed very quickly. Gryffindor had won another match with Hufflepuff. What surprised all of the students the most was Snape being a referee. Ron and Hermione advised Harry not to play if Snape had been hexing his broom last time but Potter stubbornly claimed he cannot give up so easily and moreover, he cannot show Snape that he’s afraid of him.

            Rose kept away all this time from all of that. She didn’t talk to Harry or Hermione through all November. When it came to classes she just sat down next to Hermione as she always used to and concentrated on studying. Hermione even tried to make peace with her but Rose was stubborn. Didn’t want to make peace with any of them if they still suspected professor Snape. She knew him well enough to be absolutely sure Severus Snape would never do such a thing as betraying her grandfather or killing her best friend as he knew Rose was friends with Harry James Potter.

            He seemed to even notice the coldness beating from her towards Harry, Hermione and Ron at his class. Every time he said something sarcastic towards Harry or Ron she seemed to agree with him and what more, threw pointed remarks leaving Gryffindors bewildered and Slytherins amused to the bones.

            ‘That was mean,’ Ron muttered to his friend sitting next to him.

            ‘Miss Dumbledore,’ said Snape coldly, ‘I would rather see you concentrated on brewing this potion properly. We don’t want to have any victims here, including Potter.’

            ‘Of course, professor. Such a celebrity must remain untouched,’ she said, adding bat-wings to the purple boiling water. Slytherins snorted.

            ‘Miss Dumbledore,’ said Snape once more. ‘Enough,’ everyone looked at him surprised. Someone told _no_ to the Headmaster’s granddaughter. That was very unusual at Hogwarts since Rose was treated differently by teachers and everyone could see that. ‘You’re interrupting everyone in their work. One more sarcastic remark from you and I’ll ask you to take your stuff and leave.’

            Rose looked at him, surprised. She was furious, her godfather had never treated her this way before. She didn’t know what to think. Her hair colour immediately turned red what caught the attention of all students besides Harry, Ron and Hermione.

            Rose had too much pride in herself to reply anything to that. Maybe she should have? She didn’t know. She kept staring at her godfather, then without any further hesitation grabbed her books and headed towards the door.

            ‘Dumbledore, come back here. Right now,’ but Rose had already crossed the threshold and slammed the door. The Potion Master looked at the Great Trio then said to them, ‘Tell her she has a month of detention on Friday at three o’clock.’

            ‘But – um -,’ Hermione let out. Snape turned around towards her and raised his eyebrows.

            ‘Yes, Miss Granger?’

            ‘Nothing, professor. Nothing,’ she replied, dropping down her head and returned to brewing her potion.

            ‘What are you waiting for?’ Snape asked sharply, looking around at staring at him students. ‘Get back to work!’

*

Rose returned to her dormitory where luckily there was no one. She threw her books on the bed and hit the wall with open hand. If Harperia was there, surely she’d jump up with fear. She hit five more times, screaming. She was furious but knew her godfather had had right to do that, probably she would be in bigger trouble. She was sure her grandpa will find out what had happened today.

            Rose took three deep breaths and reminded herself that it was last class for today. She decided to go to the library. She was wondering if Harry had been right about Snape. Maybe actually he was after the thing hidden under the trapdoor on the third floor, but even if he was they had no proof.

            She entered the library, passed Madam Pince sitting at her desk without a word and headed toward the archive. She was wondering if there were any books, articles about her grandfather and if they were, she could finally find out more about her family. If she was able to find any articles, certainly there must have been at least one telling about the night her parents had been killed.

            ‘What are you looking in here?’ asked Madam Pince. Rose turned around, already having checked three piles of articles about her grandfather.

            ‘I’m reading articles about professor Dumbledore,’ she replied. Madam Pince looked at her suspiciously, then nodded and left Rose alone. She was sitting on the floor, reading another article which she had to put down. There was nothing about her parents when suddenly –

 

**_DAVID EVENHART KILLS SIXTY MUGGLES – THE MASSACRE OF MARCH 5 TH_ **

****

_An auror, Gilbert Keens, informed that a massacre took place in London last night. Over sixty muggles have been killed by only one Death Eater. The group of aurors managed to catch Alecto Carrow, who was supposed to participate in the massacre._

_According to Mr Keens, the muggles were murdered by David Evenhart who had been working along with Mr Keens in the Aurors Office. Today, he was deprived of Auror Licence and as Mr Keens said there is nothing known about his whereabouts._

_David Evenhart got married to Rosalie Dumbledore, the daughter of Albus Dumbledore, on June two years ago. Our source told us that Rosalie gave birth to a girl last night. Albus Dumbledore, asked about comment on those events, didn’t want to give us any information._

_According to the law, for the mass murder of muggles David Evenhart might be sentenced to death penalty._

_The Auror Office has issued arrest warrants for David Evenhart. If anyone has seen David Evenhart he is asked for immediate contact with the Auror Office._

Rose opened her lips and let out a loud sigh. That was when everything started to make sense: that was why her grandfather had never told her anything, that was why even uncle Severus wanted to keep it a secret for her, that was why the teachers denied telling her anything about her father. Because he was a Death Eater. DEATH EATER, that word was ringing in Rose’s mind like a bell.

            Rose looked at her father’s photograph below article. She saw a handsome dark-haired man standing next to Mr Keens. She didn’t even feel tears leaking down her cheeks. Wasn’t disappointed, she was rather frustrated and devastated that no one wanted to tell her all of it in person. No one was brave enough to look her in the eyes and said, ‘Your father was a Death Eater. He was a murderer’ and it wasn’t anything surprising for her. Overall, would her grandfather ruin his reputation admitting that his son-in-law was Voldemort’s follower?

            The girl tore out the front page and left the library, wiping off her tears. She took a deep breath and headed toward the exit of the corridor. She didn’t use a passage through portrait but the stairs that led her to the seventh-floor corridor.

            She stood in front of the golden statue of a gryffin and said, ‘Phoenix.’ The statue moved around and the staircase turned up. Rose took a step forward, thinking what she will say to her grandpa. She wasn’t angry with him although she had expected to be. She was a daughter of Death Eater. Who was she really? She wanted an answer to this question as she was standing in front of the wooden door leading to her grandpa’s office. For some reason she was afraid to knock. In the end, she found within herself courage to do so. As she entered the office she noticed there was no sign of her grandpa being anywhere. She approached the portrait of professor Dippet and asked, ‘Excuse me, is my grandpa somewhere here?’

            ‘He left for the Ministry of Magic two hours ago.’

            ‘Oh, okay. Thank you, professor Dippet,’ Rose replied and approached her polished grandfather’s desk. She examined every object on it: the books on Chamber music he had received from professor Flitwick last year, a quill, parchment roll and an old marble jewel case ornamented with wooden branches. She opened it and saw a necklace with an effigy of a phoenix and a silver ring ornamented with likeness of a snake and a black stone. It was calling her, but for some reason she knew she oughtn’t to touch it. The calling didn’t stop. She heard voices in her head saying, ‘Take me. Put me on. Rose. Rose. Rose. Rose.’

            ‘Rosie,’ she heard behind her back and at once closed the jewel case. She turned around and saw her grandfather. ‘Don’t you remember what happened last time when I told you not to touch objects you know nothing about or which seem suspicious to you?’ he asked, raising his eyebrows and smiling at the same time.

            ‘I’m sorry grandpa,’ said she. ‘It was just – I don’t know what happened. I’m sorry.’

            ‘Don’t be,’ he said and touched her hair to caress them. He didn’t expect receiving a sudden hug from his granddaughter, ‘Oh, did something happened, Rose?’

            ‘I love you.’

            ‘I love you, too,’ only then Dumbledore noticed a piece of paper in her granddaughter’s hand. ‘What do you have in there?’ Rose stepped back and unrolled the front page of the Daily Prophet from 1980. She gave it to her grandfather who sighed on seeing the page title. ‘So, you know.’

            ‘Yes, I do,’ she replied sadly. The only sound which was hearable in Dumbledore’s office was clock ticking. ‘I don’t really know why I came here in the first place. I suppose I wanted to scream at you and tell you that I know.’

            Dumbledore sat down in his chair while Rose started to wandering around his office touching the gold wardrobe in which Pensive was hidden. These ornaments always fascinated her, she wanted to be a Headmistress of Hogwarts someday as her grandpa but knew she had no predispositions to that.

            ‘I was thinking I shouldn’t tell you because you’re too young to know, because you’re only eleven years old and I can see that as your ability started to reveal itself you became more – prone to anger. You have these dreams where you see future events and you tend to get in trouble,’ Rose looked at her grandfather who was watching her through his half-moon glasses.

            ‘So you know.’

            ‘Of course I know, Rosie,’ he nodded at the chair in front of his desk, letting Rose know that he wanted her to sit down. ‘What happened between you and your friends?’ Rose was playing with his fingers and wondered if she should tell her grandfather about what they know, what her friends suspect but she knew that it would probably cause her even more trouble.

            ‘Umm – we just didn’t agree on some things.’

            ‘And that made you make fun of Harry?’ asked he but Rose didn’t reply. ‘Rosie, people do not have to agree on everything. They have a right to have different opinions and you have a right to not agree with them but you can’t bully others because of it.’

            ‘I didn’t bully him,’ she protested.

            ‘Professor Snape thinks otherwise,’ Dumbledore informed. ‘Do not pick on them, because you don’t agree with them. In the end, they are your friends, aren’t they?’

            ‘They WERE my friends.’

            ‘No, Rosie. They are still your friends. You should apologize to Harry.’

            ‘He won’t listen to me.’

            ‘How do you know?’ Rose looked at the window but didn’t reply. Professor Dumbledore took out a paper bag behind his desk and said, ‘I was at Honeydukes today and I bought your favourite muffins,’ he said giving her a package. ‘Would you like to have tea? I think muffins may sweeten your mood and by the way, I should have some of lemon sherbets hidden in here…’

            Rose smiled widely, then chuckled. She knew her grandfather was the only person she could count on after all. She loved him very much.

 

*

 

Over the weekend Rose made it up with her friends and spent time with them by the lake. It was already cold, the snow had started falling down on the Hogwarts ground. Christmas time could be smelt in the air, Christmas were closer and closer within each next day.

            ‘We can find something ‘bout Nicolas Flamel in the Restricted Section. However, as its name points it is restricted. No students under fifth year are allowed in there,’ Hermione said as they were sitting in the Common Room by the fireplace, drinking tea they had had from the kitchen. Rose was doing her homework for next week as she was the only one who hasn’t done it so far. ‘Unless a student has a permission from a teacher to enter the Restricted Section.’

            ‘But no one will give us the permission!’ Ron said.

            ‘No, maybe not to us,’ said Hermione, then smiled slyly and looked at Rose with the corner of her eye. ‘But no one will refuse to Albus Dumbledore’s granddaughter.’

            ‘Unless you’re Snape,’ Harry noticed. ‘How was detention anyway? I forgot to ask.’

            ‘Took five points from me and ordered me to clean the cauldrons without magic,’ Rose replied, shrugging her shoulders as if everything was meaningless to her. ‘But who cares? Hermione, honestly I cannot imagine professor McGonagall or Flitwick giving me a permission to entrance the Restricted Section.’

            ‘Maybe not them, but there’s someone who might agree,’ everyone sent her a questioning look. ‘Oh, come on! I’m talking about professor Quirrell. He likes you and Harry and besides, he always asks and mentions your grandpa’s achievements. He won’t refuse you, I’m sure of that.’

            ‘What if he does?’

            ‘Then he does.’

            ‘But my grandpa may find out. I know he doesn’t like punishing me but if he finds out that I wanted to enter the Restricted Section I might be in serious trouble.’

            ‘Rose’s right,’ said Ron. ‘It’s too risky.’

            ‘If we won’t risk we never find out who Nicolas Flamel is and we won’t stop Snape from getting whatever is under that trapdoor.’

            Rose rolled her eyes once more, hearing the conspiracy theory of her friends but didn’t say anything, because as well as them she wanted to find out who Nicolas Flamel is.

            ‘Alright. I’ll ask him tomorrow,’ Rose said, then returned to writing her paper on vampires in Pennsylvania.

            As it was getting late and Rose went to bed she was unable to fall asleep. She was turning on each side, thinking about everything possible. About her dreams, family, friends and that Niffler she wanted to get. She wondered what her grandpa would give to her for Christmas. As she was thinking she noticed that she hadn’t bought anything for anyone.

            ‘I have to go to Hogsmeade,’ she whispered to herself. ‘I have to.’

            She didn’t sleep all night. Got up at five o’clock and as there was nothing to do she grabbed a book she had taken from her grandpa’s library yesterday _‘The Legendary Objects of Wizarding World and Where to Find Them’_   to read by the fireplace. She was sitting, wrapped in a blanket listening to the fire cracking and turning the pages of the book. For some reason, she loved every object that belong to her grandfather, which reminded her about him.

            ‘You can’t sleep, too?’ she heard. Rose turned around her head and saw Harry standing at the staircase. He was wearing jeans and too big grey sweatshirt, his hands in the pockets.

            ‘Yeah. I’m a bit nervous before class with Quirrell.’

            ‘Don’t be,’ said Potter, sitting down next to her. ‘It’ll be fine.’

            ‘You can’t know that, Harry. I really don’t wanna get in trouble after what happened at Potions class,’ Rose said, looking at the carpet. ‘I am so sorry for how I was treating you.’

            ‘Yeah, that was mean of you but – don’t think I won’t do the same to you,’ he warned, wagging his finger at her jokingly. Rose laughed, ‘Alright.’

            ‘And besides, your exit was awesome. You should have seen Snape. His face was like _‘She has a cheek!’_ ’ Rose laughed again. ‘What are you reading?’

            ‘Oh,’ she showed him the cover of the book with the Flying Carpet and Philosopher’s Stone on it. ‘I wanna find them all.’

            ‘Must be difficult.’

            ‘Yeah.’

            ‘Rose, I wanted to ask – but if you don’t wanna talk about it that’s alright,’ he started. Rose looked at him questioningly, ‘I wanted to ask what happened to your family? I mean I’ve heard you were raised up by your grandpa,’ Rose face went emotionless, ‘You spent all your life here at Hogwarts. Do you have any family?’

            ‘No, Harry. That’s perfectly fine, I don’t mind talking about it,’ she said after a while of silence. She didn’t know how to start, ‘My parents were murdered by a Death Eater named Antonin Dolohov. They died on Voldemort’s orders. What?’ she asked, seeing his surprised face expression.

            ‘Nothing. It’s just – not many people speak his name.’

            ‘I’m not afraid of it. My grandpa taught me not to be afraid of anyone’s name no matter how much fear it causes in the society of wizards,’ she explained, then continued. ‘So, they also died, they were murdered. Voldemort wanted to get rid of me so to speak, so he sent Dolohov to kill me. My parents weren’t killed with a usual killing curse. He cast his own curse on them, which makes people’s death more painful. My grandpa didn’t really want to explain it to me how this curse works.’

            ‘Rose, but – how did you survive?’

            ‘My grandpa found out that Dolohov had been sent to our house to kill me. Unfortunately, he came too late because my parents were dead but came in the nick of time to save me from death.’

            ‘I’m sorry, but – you know, I’m still new in this world,’ he said, and Rose nodded with understanding. ‘Who is a Death Eater?’

            ‘Voldemort’s follower. He had an army of them.’

            ‘What happened to the one who’d killed your parents?’

            ‘He was sentenced to life imprisonment in Azkaban.’

            ‘What is Azkaban?’

            ‘Prison for wizards,’ Rose explained. ‘My grandpa demanded death penalty for him, of course. He was furious, but he told me he’s glad Dolohov wasn’t sentenced to death. He didn’t think clearly at that time, he was grieving my mum’s death and had to bring me up on his own. It must have been hard for him…’

            ‘I’m sorry because of your parents.’

            ‘I’m sorry because of yours, too, Harry,’ she said, taking his hand. Harry smiled thinly. She noticed her friend was looking at her out of the corner of his eye as if he wanted to ask a question but he didn’t know if it was a right thing to do, ‘Come on. What do you want to know?’

            ‘Why – Why Voldemort wanted to kill you?’

            ‘Oh, that,’ Rose chuckled, cannot prevent smiling. ‘Um… He thought I’m gonna be as powerful as my grandpa, whom he hated by the way, and decided to get rid of me. I still cannot believe it… How such a dark and powerful wizard can be afraid of a baby? He was afraid of me, wanted to kill you… Why exactly he wanted to kill you, Harry?’

            ‘I – I don’t know.’


	9. Tension

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

The night passed very quickly. Rose didn’t feel well-rested as usual. She hated getting up so early… As they all went down to the Great Hall for breakfast and discussed their plan, Hermione nudged Rose to shush her. Snape’s just passed behind their back…

                ‘It was close,’ Ron said, relieved. ‘So what?’ he asked, looking at Rose, ‘Ready?’

                The girl took a deep breath and when exhaled it she said, ‘Ready.’

                They waited ‘til the very end of the lesson, so Rose could approach Quirrell when the classroom was empty and there was no one to witness anything. Even her friends had decided to leave the classroom in case Quirrell might start to suspect something.

                ‘Excuse me, professor,’ she cleared her throat as she had stood in front of his desk. She was clenching a piece of parchment in her left hand, ‘I – You see I am very interested into Defence Against the Dark Arts. Actually, I think you’re an excellent teacher,’ Quirrel smiled, evidently waiting for what Rose was about to say next, ‘but your classes are not enough for me. I’d like to widen my knowledge but the books I need from the library are – well, how to say it? I cannot lend them without permission as they’re in the Restricted Section.

                ‘I think I should know as much as possible to defend myself, isn’t that right?’

                ‘Y-Y-Yes, M-M-Miss Dum-b-bledore. Th-Th-That’s right,’ he replied. ‘W-W-What d-d-do you ex-p-p-pect from me?’

                ‘I was wondering if you could give me your permission, professor, to enter the Restricted Section so I could find out more.’

                The silence fell and Rose was expecting the worst, that Quirrel will not agree, that he will tell her grandfather what she had come to him with. Her heart was beating as if she was about to have a heart attack in a while when Quirrell finally replied, ‘O-O-Of c-course.’

                Rose gave him permission on the piece of parchment so he could sign it for her. As he was giving it back to her he smiled, ‘Thank you, professor!’ she said, smiling back then left the classroom hastily. Her friends were waiting outside in the corridor for her. As Rose closed the door they started asking, ‘And what?’ In response, Rose waved with a signed permission in front of their faces.

                ‘Oh, my gosh!’ Hermione called out, bringing hand to her lips. ‘You got it!’ she said, bewildered.

                ‘Yep. Come on, we have Potions next. I don’t wanna be late and get detention for another month,’ as Rose said that they immediately headed towards the dungeons together. No one wanted to be late, especially for Snape’s class. If they have wanted to be late they must have had either no brain or any will to live. But luckily, they were on time.

                Evidently, Snape had a good reason to pick on Rose all the time. He even ordered her to approach the blackboard and put the ingredients used for the Sleeping Draught in the right order.

                ‘I don’t know,’ she said as she analysed the ingredients and knew there was no sense to try.

                ‘You’re unprepared.’

                ‘No, I am prepared. It’s just – I am stressed,’ she said, trying to buy her more time. If she was indeed unprepared she might have earned another month of detention.

                ‘And that is because -?’

                ‘Well, you’re standing right behind me, sir, and that makes me a bit uncomfortable,’ Rose could hear giggles from the students sitting at their desks. Ron was doing his best to not burst into laughter. Snape stood right next to the wall, watching her, poker-faced. ‘Thank you.’

                Rose faced the blackboard again. She took a deep breath and tried to think what ingredient could have been the first one.

                _4 Valerian springs_

_6 measures of Standard Ingredient_

_4 springs of Lavender_

_2 blobs of Flobberworm Mucus_

‘Miss Dumbledore, we’re waiting,’ she heard Snape saying. He was stomping with his foot impatiently.

                Rose divided a blackboard in half, then started writing the ingredients down beginning with 4 springs of Lavender, left the Standard Ingredient, then 2 blobs of Flobberworm Mucus and 4 Valerian Springs.

                As she finished Snape came up closer and examined the blackboard. He looked at Rose who was already biting her lower lip, her eyes closed as if she was awaiting death penalty.

                ‘You may sit down.’

                ‘Thank you, professor,’ she said and hastily returned to her desk next to Hermione, giving Harry a ‘ _Merlin, what was that?!’_ look.

                ‘You have time to the end of class to prepare the potion. I expect an absolute perfection.’

                ‘ _I expect an absolute perfection,_ ’ Rose imitated Snape, standing next to Hermione as he was looking into the cauldrons of students on the right. ‘ _Anything else will be considered blah blah blah._ ’

                ‘Rose, be quiet. He may hear you,’ Hermione whispered firmly. ‘You had already earned yourself one detention for a month and lost many points. You wanna make your situation even worse?’

            ‘You better be grateful that I agreed to go to Quirrell and ask for that permission,’ she replied, squinting her eyes.

            ‘Don’t give me that look!’

            ‘Is there any problem?’ they heard next to themselves. As they looked on their left they saw professor Snape standing next to their cauldrons. Hermione was loss at words.

            ‘No, well – no,’ Rose said, taking look in her cauldron. Her potion was slowly turning dark. ‘Well – Could you please, sir, take a look if I’m not making some kind of bomb instead of a potion?’

            Snape raised his eyebrows, then approached Rose cauldron and looked into it but there was nothing he could fasten to.

            ‘Please, continue, Miss Dumbledore,’ he said, then walked away. He came to a halt by Neville Longbottom’s cauldron. ‘What is it, Longbottom? You want to kill us all? You added more Valerian springs than you were supposed to!’

            ‘Poor Neville,’ Rose said under her breath, having added four Valerian springs and stirring her potion clockwise. ‘Merlin, I hate this subject.’

            ‘You prefer History of Magic, then?’ Hermione asked, giving her a sarcastic smile.

            ‘I love this subject, I love this subject,’ Rose repeated to after a while wave her wand in order to finish her potion. ‘YES! I’M DONE!’ she called out, excited, realising her shout was too loud. As she looked at Snape she noticed he tried to stay calm but couldn’t prevent smirking. He looked as if he was about to burst into laugh. ‘I’m sorry. Please, continue,’ she said to the students, then lowered down pretending to hide under the desk. Some of the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs couldn’t resist, no matter how much they tried to, but to laugh.

            ‘Dumbledore, get out of there!’

 

*

 

After dinner they went to the library. Hermione, Harry and Ron stayed in the section where all students were allowed while Rose came up to Madam Pince’s desk and gave her permission signed by professor Quirrell.

            Madam Pince looked up at her, then at permission, then again at her and back at permission trying to find any forgery but she seemed to find nothing. ‘I can’t see the book title.’

            ‘Oh, there is no book title. Professor Quirrel allowed me to enter the section on the Dark Arts,’ she explained, smiling at her kindly. ‘I hope it’s not a problem…’

            ‘Well, we do not let first-years in the Restricted Section, especially the one on the Dark Arts. It’s a bit unusual and to me surprising that you got permission from your DADA teacher but if he signed it – let it be. You may go.’

            ‘Thank you, Madam Pince,’ she said, then headed toward the rope that separated the Restricted Section from the rest of the library. ‘Here we go then.’

            Rose was going across rows of enormous high bookshelves filled with each type of book in the wizarding world possible. There was so many of them that they were almost uncountable for her. She was searching for a particular section. She hoped finding something about Flamel in the Dark Arts section but as she sat at the desk with another book, turning pages she heard a well-known to her male voice, ‘What are you doing here?’

            Rose closed the book, petrified, and got up to her feet immediately. As she turned around she saw her godfather. He didn’t look angry but rather worried. ‘You’re not supposed to be in here,’ said he.

            ‘I have permission,’ Rose informed with pride, giving him a sly smile. Snape raised his eyebrows and frowned them in disbelief.

            ‘Show me,’ Rose did as she was told and handed permission to her uncle, who had read it through at least twice before he looked at her, ‘What are you doing in here?’

            ‘Reading.’

            ‘By in here I mean this particular section.’

            ‘I’m widening my knowledge on the Dark Arts, uncle,’ she replied. ‘I’m not doing anything illegal. I got permission after all,’ at the same moment she felt as if something invisible went through her body, as if she was about to fall asleep, felt a bit dizzy, ‘Um,’ she tried to refocus. ‘I was wondering… Maybe you know something about Nicolas Flamel?’

            ‘Nicolas Flamel?’ he repeated, clearly surprised. ‘Why are you asking?’

            ‘Oh, I’ve read his name somewhere but cannot remind myself where and already read through a lot of books but couldn’t find anything about him anywhere, so I thought he might be mentioned at least in one of these books in here. Maybe you could help me?’

            ‘I don’t think so. Rose,’ he said to her as she was about to turn around keeping the book tight at her chest, ‘what are you up to?’

            ‘Nothing. Why would I be up to something?’ asked she, shrugging her shoulders. Snape was looking at her still suspiciously, ‘Rose,’ he turned to her again as she was about to leave the section. She came to a halt when she heard, ‘The book,’ Rose closed her eyes, swearing under her breath and turned around to come up to her uncle and give him the book in his already reached out hand. ‘I don’t want to see you in here again.’

            ‘If we don’t drop on each other you won’t!’ she called out, waving at him. Severus looked at the book title, ‘ _Everything You Have To Know About Curses_ ,’ he read out loud, then sighed, ‘Why did I agree on this god-fathering?’ he asked himself, then put down the book on the table. _‘David, why can’t you be here?’_ he thought.

            Meanwhile Harry, Ron and Hermione awaited Rose, searching books with hope of finding anything about Nicolas Flamel but there was literally nothing.

            ‘I hope she’ll find there something. If not we’re stuck,’ Hermione said, putting another book at its place, ‘And we won’t stop Snape. What if there is really something dangerous under a trapdoor?’

            ‘Maybe Flamel has constructed some kind of weapon that will help Snape control Hogwarts…’ Ron thought out loud. ‘I think we should tell Dumbledore.’

            ‘Ron, we have no proof, remember?’ asked Hermione with pretension in her voice, ‘No one will believe us. It’s our word against Snape’s. Whom will Rose’s grandpa believe? Us the students or Snape the teacher?’

            ‘Hermione’s right. We definitely need a proof,’ Harry said. At the same time, Rose scared Hermione, jumping towards her and grabbing her arm, ‘Boo!’ she called out, laughing.

            ‘ROSE!’ Hermione shouted, petrified, but calmed down as reminded herself she was in the library. As Madam Pince was looking around to find out who had screamed, Hermione pulled her friends in another row of books in order to hide. ‘Did you find something?’ she asked quietly.

            ‘No,’ Rose replied, clearly disappointed, looking at her friends, ‘I was looking literally in every book but haven’t found anything. Anything about Flamel, but Snape found me instead,’ Hermione closed her eyes at once, terrified they had lost another points and Rose had got another detention, ‘He wanted me to get out of there.’

            ‘So, what do we do now?’ Ron asked. ‘We know nothing about Flamel besides that he has something in common with a thing hidden under the trapdoor. Maybe we could ask Hagrid?’

            ‘He won’t tell us,’ Harry noticed immediately, looking at Ron like at an idiot. ‘He told us enough and won’t tell us more. He promised to keep his mouth shut to Rose’s grandpa and he will.’

            ‘So what now?’ asked Ron. Rose bit her lower lip, thinking intensively as well as Hermione. The boys were staring at them, awaiting any response but they didn’t get any. Tired and clueless they decided to return to the common room. Rose and Hermione were tired enough to head straight to their dormitory to sleep.

            ‘We have to do something!’ Harry said to his friend, as their female friends had closed the door to the Girls’ Tower. ‘We cannot let Snape wandering like this around! He might be trying to get under the trapdoor even now!’

            ‘But what can we do, Harry? We can’t leave the dorms after nine o’clock. If someone catches us we’ll get detention and lose points, and Rose has lost enough of them, don’t you think? If she’ll continue losing them we never win the House Cup.’

            ‘I know… But there must be something we can do… I have an impression that I’d heard about Flamel before but I cannot remind myself when and where. He wasn’t mentioned at any of our class, was he?’ Ron shook his head, Harry sighed. ‘I don’t know what we can do but Snape cannot get the thing that’s under the trapdoor.’

*

            ‘I am so stupid!’ Rose called out, hitting herself in forehead with open hand on the next day at breakfast in the Great Hall. ‘How could I be so stupid?’ she asked herself as Harry, Ron and Hermione stopped eating and looked at each other without any idea what Rose was talking about. ‘I am a metamorphagus, aren’t I? I didn’t need any stupid permission to enter anywhere. I could just turn into a teacher, even my grandpa…’

            ‘Of course,’ said Hermione, hiding her face in hands with shame. ‘How could I forget about it? That’s so obvious! Oh, my God…’ Harry and Ron gave each other the very same look which was saying, _‘Of course. We could have used her ability all that time…’_

‘But my – professor Snape I mean,’ Rose started, ‘That day in the library when I asked him about Flamel –‘

            ‘YOU WHAT?!’ Ron screamed, terrified then shut up as saw everyone’s looking at him. This time he said silently, ‘You asked him about Flamel? He might have started to suspect something! Rose, how could you be so stupid?’ Harry and Hermione were staring at Rose with shock as well.

            ‘Firstly, Ronald,’ she told, squinting her eyes at him, ‘I don’t believe in your conspiracy theory about him being after the Thing. Secondly, I want to find out as well who this whole Flamel is, so I asked Snape and he might know. It was obvious that he knows but didn’t want to tell me.’

            ‘Rose, if Snape’s really after the Thing we cannot ask him such questions!’ Hermione said, being still in shock. ‘I am baffled but I have to admit that Ron’s right.’

            ‘Wow, thanks,’ said Weasley, amazed as well.

            ‘Merlin, relax!’ Rose called out quietly with irritation in her voice, ‘Seriously, stop it. You exaggerate. You can’t be even sure if he wants to steal it. Maybe he went to Fluffy on Halloween because he – wanted to check on it? I don’t know. But you’re thinking too much and for some reason I have an impression that you’re trying to make an elephant out of the fly.’

            Having said that Rose grabbed her books and left the Great Hall.

 

*

 

As Hermione finally had to admit that Rose might be right about their theory and Snape wanting to steal the Thing, there was already only a week left ‘til Christmas. Rose had managed to use one of the secret passages along with Fred and George and sneak to Hogsmeade to buy Christmas presents for her friends, grandpa, uncle, aunt and Hagrid.

            For Harry and Ron she had bought sweets at Honeydukes, for Hermione a book on spells for advanced, for her grandpa a woollen socks he literally adored, for professor McGonagall a new black quill. She bought a book also for Hagrid however on a completely different subject. She knew he loved all creatures, even the most dangerous ones and always wanted to have a dragon so she bought for him a guide-book titled _, ‘How to Raise a Dragon?’_ However, for her uncle she ordered a black woollen scar with embroidered dedication inside, _‘For my beloved uncle. Merry Christmas. Rose.’_ Unfortunately, she couldn’t risk being caught in Hogsmeade by any teacher so asked Fred and George to pick up the scarf instead of her.

            ‘Who’s your uncle, Rose?’ asked Fred as he heard dedication which Rose had said to the seller.

            ‘Imagine that professor McGonagall is actually my aunt. Does it matter who’s my uncle?’ she asked as Weasley brothers were standing next to her.

            ‘No, not really. We were just curious.’

            ‘It’s for professor Snape if you must know,’ she informed. Fred and George’s eyes looked as if they were about to fall out. ‘Yes, he’s my uncle.’

            ‘Y-you give him a present?’ asked Fred, surprised, then looked at his brother who said with him at the same moment, ‘He didn’t deserve it!’ Rose chuckled in response. ‘You should give it to us instead!’

            ‘Are you jealous?’ asked she, her arms crossed. ‘Boys, we know each other from a very long time but we’re not friends.’

            ‘Ron’s friends are our friends,’ they said. Rose couldn’t prevent but laugh. ‘It’s Flitwick!’ as they said that Rose turned into professor Dumbledore. ‘Wow, this is cool!’ they called out.

            ‘Just be quiet,’ she said with her grandpa’s voice.

            ‘It’s amazing,’ they said again, then looked at each other. ‘Turn into professor McGonagall!’

            ‘Shut up, both of you!’ she said.

            ‘I’ve never heard your grandpa speaking like that,’ Fred and George couldn’t stop their amazement and enthusiasm. ‘This is so cool…’ Rose smiled slyly until she heard, ‘Pro’esor Dumbledor’? You, ‘ere?’ Rose turned around to see Hagrid in sheepskin coat smiling at her.

            ‘Hagrid! What a surprise!’ Rose said, trying to behave as Dumbledorish as it was possible. ‘I see you decided to visit Hogsmeade –‘

            ‘I bo’ght pres’nt for Rose,’ said he, smiling even wider. ‘It’s a book on phoenixes. I thought she’ll like it.’

            ‘Oh, certainly she will,’ said Rose and nodded at the windows behind which she could see dense layers of snow, ‘What a beautiful winter we have this year! Ah, I was just talking to Mr Weasleys,’ she nodded at twins, ‘To check if they’re not up to something,’ Rose wagged her finger at them. ‘Remember, I’m watching you,’ she winked at them, then turned around to face Hagrid, ‘Ah, I have to go, Hagrid. Have some things to do,’ Rose saw off Rubeus and disappeared behind one of the shelves with sweets of all different kinds, then turned into her real form. She never expected that pretending to be someone else might have been so stressful. Looked at her bags with presents and decided to return to castle using a secret passage in Hog’s Head as soon as possible.


	10. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas. Ring the Hogwarts Bell. Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas. Cast a Christmas Spell...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter. Yes, I know. Imma freak. Enjoy!

 

Rose along with Harry and Ron was sitting in the Great Hall. She was reading a book while her friends were playing chess. Professor Flitwick and McGonagall were decorating the Christmas tree, the ceiling already conjured that it resembled the night sky from which the snow was falling down. Christmas carols were sung by a choir of students, ghosts flying over the tables chatting.

            They could hear the wheels of a trunk near. It was Hermione who was pulling her trunk along with her, wearing scarf along with beanie and winter coat.

            ‘This game’s brutal,’ said she, seeing how the marble figures had just destroyed one another.

            ‘Life’s brutal,’ Rose said, trying to focus on reading. ‘So, you’re leaving me then.’

            ‘I’m not leaving you. I’ll be back,’ she said with grimace on her face. ‘You two,’ she told Harry and Ron, ‘be careful. I have to go, the train leaves in half an hour. Merry Christmas!’ she hugged Rose as a form of goodbye.

            ‘Merry Christmas, Mione!’ they called out together as their friend had turned around to leave the Great Hall. As she left Rose leaned towards her friends, who returned to playing chess, to say, ‘Let’s do something illegal!’

            ‘NO,’ Harry and Ron replied at the same time, giving her a disapproving look.

            ‘Let’s prank Filch,’ she muttered, looking with the corner of her eye at the caretaker standing by the entrance.

            ‘Rose, I’d love to. No offence,’ Harry was saying, ‘but I wanna stay at Hogwarts. Don’t wanna come back to the Dursleys and live with ‘em for the rest of my life.’

            ‘Besides, we’ve already lost too many points,’ Ron added. ‘Can’t you go to the library and read something or dunno, play chess with us?’

            ‘I think I know what I’m gonna do,’ having said that she closed the book and ran out from the Great Hall. Harry and Ron looked at each other, both sighing at the same time, then returned to their game.

            ‘HA! I’VE WON!’ Ron called out, his arms in the air.

 

*

 

Rose wanted to prank Filch along with Fred and George who also were staying at Hogwarts for Christmas as they parents had left for Charlie, Ron’s eldest brother, to Romania.

            ‘You should start coming up with your own gadgets,’ said Rose, seeing all of the different kinds of fireworks on Fred’s bed. George put out the box of chocolate from the drawer.

            The twins looked at each other, grinning, ‘Actually, that’s a very good idea.’

            Filch turned out to be very surprised of receiving a box of chocolates with an anonymous letter which said, ‘ _For my favourite caretaker._ ’ He had found the box along with the letter on his desk in the office. Mrs Norris was lying on an old blanket which was her place for sleeping. Filch opened the box and tasted one chocolate. It had a delicate caramel taste. He ate another one and still didn’t feel anything until he bit the third one. Suddenly, red acute points started to appear on his face, causing him discomfort. He shouted, ‘WEASLEYS!’ and as he ran out of his office Fred along with George and Rose, hiding behind the corner, fired the fireworks at him. They were hunting him until he reached the Great Hall and professor McGonagall who made them disappear.

            ‘What happened to you, Mr Filch?’ she asked, barely preventing her laugh.

            ‘Those damn WEASLEYS again!’

            Meanwhile, Rose was rolling on the ground with laughter while Fred and George caught their stomachs which hurt them from a long laughing. ‘That was – That was gold,’ Rose said as she managed to overcome her laugh. ‘Thank you, guys. I love having fun with you two. You’re amazing.’

            ‘Well, we’re glad we can amuse Albus Dumbledore’s granddaughter,’ said George. ‘If you would like to prank anyone again you know where to find us,’ they both winked at her at the same moment.

            ‘Yeah, thank you.’

            As they departed Rose headed towards the seventh-floor corridor while the Weasley brothers decided to return to Gryffindor tower. They had had dinner after which Rose decided to visit her grandpa’s office. She knocked and heard his voice, letting her come in. As she entered the office she saw him behind his desk reading documents. He looked up at her and  smiled at her view.

            ‘Good evening, Rosie.’

            ‘Good evening, grandpa,’ she approached his desk slowly, giving him a nerveless smile. ‘What are you doing?’ she asked, looking at his cluttered with papers desk.

            ‘Oh, I’m looking through old documents. Look, this is your birth certificate,’ he said, showing her a single page of parchment written with black ink, with a seal of St. Mungo’s hospital, signed by a medic who had delivered her to this world.

            ‘Rose Evenhart. Date of birth: March 5th, 1980\. Hour of birth: half past midnight,’ she read out loud. ‘Parents’ names: David and Rosalie Evenhart (neé Dumbledore). Place of birth: St. Mungo’s Hospital.’

            ‘And this is Wizengamont’s consent for changing your last name,’ said Dumbledore, giving her another piece of parchment. ‘I had a long fight at court with your uncle who wanted to adopt you. He was a Death Eater and I knew what would happen to you once he wins the case and I couldn’t let it happen.’

            ‘So, you decided to fight against him at court and change my name.’

            ‘For your safety. Your father’s name, as you suppose, is very infamous even though Evenhart House is one of the most oldest wizarding houses in the world, even still quite respected I’d say. I didn’t want you to have trouble because of your father’s name, and besides I knew once I change your last name you’d be safer with it rather than with your father’s.’

            ‘Grandpa,’ she turned to him after reading the document and seeing the seal and signature of Cornelius Fudge. ‘Would you agree if I wanted to change my last name to Dumbledore-Evenhart?’

            Albus looked at her a little surprised, however there was no sign of disapproval in his eyes. It took a longer while for him to reply, ‘You can do this once you’re full of age. Then it’ll be your own decision but I – I don’t want to agree on this, Rosie.’

            ‘I understand,’ she said, pulling a chair next to him. The white snowflakes were falling down behind the window as Rose and her grandfather were sitting in the warm office looking through old documents and family pictures from the past. It was a late evening but the candle on professor Dumbledore’s desk was still ignited.

            ‘This is your godmother,’ he said, showing her a picture of her parents, uncle next to which was standing a ginger-haired witch having deep green eyes. She was pregnant with a baby. Next to Rosalie was standing professor Dumbledore. Everyone was smiling, then looked at each other with joy. Rose was wrapped in a beautiful white woollen blanket in her father’s arms. ‘We were celebrating your birth. It was two months after you were born. I remember that day as if it was yesterday,’ said he, smiling under his breath. ‘We were so happy. I wish your grandma could have been in this picture as well.’

            ‘What happened to her? Why wasn’t she with us that day?’ Rose asked.

            ‘She died. She was ill and there was no cure for her,’ Dumbledore’s eyes glazed with tears. He signed heavily, ‘Your mum was seventeen when it happened. I really miss them both…’ he sighed again, then looked at his granddaughter and gave her a nerveless smile. Rose hugged him, ‘And this is – oh, this is you in the cradle. I’d bought it as a gift for you and your parents before you were born. It was made by Mr Khanna. His farm was producing the best wood for wands but he agreed to make this cradle for me. His daughter, Rowan, oh I remember her, she started her education at Hogwarts next year.

            ‘And here, your mum and dad after graduation. Later, she worked as a specialist to the Law of Magical Creatures in the Ministry. Your father became an auror, but you know that already… Your dad was a troublemaker. He used to duel with Harry’s father all the time. Oh, yes. Yes, they hated each other.’

            ‘My dad knew Harry’s father?’ she asked, bewildered.

            ‘Unfortunately… Many times, I’ve had a dilemma whether to expel them or not. As you can see I never did. Your mum was in the same house as Harry’s mother… I think I haven’t told you that. Yes, they were best friends. Of course, Lily Potter became your godmother when you were born -’

            ‘Wait a minute, grandpa,’ Rose interrupted him, looking for a picture from the celebration after her birth. There she was: a ginger-haired woman of green eyes, pregnant with her baby. She was standing next to Severus Snape. ‘You want to tell me that this is Lily Potter?’ Dumbledore nodded. ‘So this is Harry!’ Rose showed at Lily’s belly. Dumbledore nodded, smiling. ‘Harry was at this party. Cool!’ the wizard laughed.

            ‘Rosie, it’s very late. I think you should go to sleep,’ he looked at her behind his half-moon glasses. ‘It’s almost eleven o’clock.’

            ‘Actually, I came to ask if I can stay…’

            ‘Of course,’ Dumbledore winked at her. He waved his wand, then said, ‘Your things are already in your room. Now, go to sleep.’

            ‘Can I take Fawkes with me?’ asked she. Dumbledore whistled to wake the bird up. ‘Come on, Fawkes! You’re gonna sleep with me tonight!’ Rose called out happily, running up the staircase. Fawkes flew up in the air and followed her, ‘Goodnight, grandpa!’

            ‘Goodnight, Rosie!’ as Albus Dumbledore heard the door shut he turned back to contemplating the past at his desk. _It’s gonna be Christmas Day tomorrow_ ,’ he thought. Next, opened the jewel case and took out a silver necklace with a phoenix effigy. He directed his wand at it and cleaned it out from energy so that a new could replace it. He drew the pictures in and blew out the candle. He looked around in the darkness of his office, then headed to his chambers.

*

 

Rose woke up next day to see Fawkes sitting on the headboard of the bed. She got up hastily as reminded herself what day it was. She ran out from her room, across the corridor and library to come down in the office. Under a Christmas tree there already were presents for her and her grandfather. She started unwrapping hers to find a book on phoenixes from Hagrid, black combat boots from professor McGonagall, and a photograph of her and her parents after she was born and a packet of her favourite muffins from her uncle.

            ‘I see you already unpacked your Christmas presents, Rosie,’ said the voice behind her back. Her grandfather, wearing a night gown and a pointed hat, came down the stairs.

            ‘They’re amazing!’ she called out at once, showing him her brand new black combat boots. ‘I love them!’

            ‘Who gave them to you?’ asked he, coming up to the Christmas tree.

            ‘Aunt Minerva.’

            ‘Ah, I see.’

            ‘Aren’t you gonna unpack yours?’ Rose asked, curious to pick up the present for her wrapped in a red paper. ‘This one is for me!’

            ‘Oh, thank you,’ said he, taking a small package from her and unwrapping it. ‘I wonder what it is… Ah!’ he called out as he took out three pairs of woollen socks in different colours. ‘Finally, not a book! And talking about presents, of course I got one for you,’ Dumbledore headed towards his desk to pick up a small square box which gave to Rose. ‘Merry Christmas, Rosie.’

            ‘Merry Christmas, grandpa!’ she called out, hugging him. But couldn’t wait more to open her present. She was too excited. When she saw a necklace with a phoenix effigy she was loss at words.

            ‘It belonged to your mum. I thought you should have it. Do you like it?’

            ‘Of course I do! It’s beautiful! Thank you, grandpa!’ she called out, hugging him once more.

            ‘Oh, Rosie,’ he said, caressing her hair, then said happily, ‘Let’s see what else I’ve got, shall we?’

            ‘YES!’

*

Rose met along with Harry and Ron the same day in the common room to ask them what they had got for Christmas. She was surprised having found out that Harry had received an anonymous present in a form of Invisibility Cloak.

            ‘You must be kidding,’ she whispered silently so that only she could hear, as she had seen Harry or rather couldn’t see him, because he was under the Cloak. ‘Whoever gave it to you must like you very much.’

            Potter took the Cloak off to reveal himself and to shrug his shoulders, ‘I don’t know who might have given it to me. There’s only written _Use it wisely_ ,’ he quoted, giving the letter that had been attached to the package. Rose opened it and started to read. Having read it she smiled widely and snorted. She recognised the handwriting. ‘What? What is it?’

            ‘Um… Nothing. Never mind. I’m just startled because Invisibility Cloak is a very rare kind of a gift. And actually, I wonder who might have a room filled with magical artefacts and have the Cloak from the Tale of Three Brothers… Hmm…’

            ‘The Tale of What?’ Harry asked, confused.

            ‘The Tale of Three Brothers,’ Rose repeated, looking at him in amazement. ‘Oh, right. You may not know it. It’s a tale about three brothers who tried to escape Death but only one of them survived, because he had this,’ Rose pointed at the Cloak, ‘And Death was unable to find him to take him on the other side.’

            ‘I can escape Death having this?’ asked Harry, bewildered, showing at the Cloak.

            ‘Well – I think it’s rather a metaphor. My grandpa used to read me those tales when I was a child. _Tales of Beedle the Bard_ they are called.’

            ‘My mum used to read them to me as well,’ Ron informed all of the sudden, staring at the Headmaster’s granddaughter then at Harry, then at Rose, and then at Harry again. ‘But who might have given it to Harry?’

            ‘The question is: how my father got this Cloak?’ Harry noticed. ‘If it’s from a tale I supposed it must be some kind of a legend, and well things from legends do not exist,’ as he said that Rose raised her right eyebrow suspiciously. ‘What?’

            ‘Just wait. But do you know what it means?’ she asked them. The boys looked at her, awaiting continuation, ‘We can do more of illegal things!’ Rose called out, waving her hands on all sides with excitement. Ron and Harry looked at each other. Both of them knew what it meant.

*

Ronald Weasley at once said that he was out of this and had no intention to participate in Rose’s plan. But it didn’t stop Albus Dumbledore’s granddaughter from convincing Harry James Potter to go out with her for a night stroll around the castle under the Invisibility Cloak.

            It was past ten when both met in the common room. Each of them was wearing a warm sweaters, jeans and trainers. Additionally, Rose was wearing a blue scarf. As they left the common room and stood in front of the portrait of Fat Lady she asked, ‘Who’s there?’ but no one replied.

            Harry and Rose were wandering around the castle, their way lighted only by torches. They were trying to be careful to not bump on some teacher, Filch or Mrs Norris. They were on the second floor and turned right when both of them abruptly came to a halt, barely preventing themselves from letting out any sound. It was a miracle as Rose thought later on, because she had felt as if she was about to have a heart attack.

            On their way, they came across professor Snape and Quirrell who were evidently arguing on something. The former had pinned latter to the wall, hissing, ‘I know what you’re up to, Quirrell. Believe me, you don’t want to fall into disfavour with me.’

            ‘O-Of c-c-c-course not, S-S-Severus,’ Quirrell replied. ‘I-I would n-n-never –‘

            ‘Do not lie to me, Quirrell,’ said Snape, looking into his eyes as if he was trying to read him through. ‘Decide which side you’re on –‘ that was when Harry let out a breath. It was loud enough so the teachers could hear it. Potter covered his mouth and along with his friend started to step back as silently as it was possible.

            Snape and Quirrell had looked towards them but could not see anyone even though they had had heard someone breathing out. Rose knew she wouldn’t be expelled anyway but could not jeopardize her best friend. Severus reached out his hand towards them and was about to grab the Cloak, but in the nick of time they took another step back. It looked as if Snape was grasping the air in his hand. He looked up at the place where Harry and Rose were standing, hidden under the Cloak, then turned around toward Quirrell.

            ‘Remember,’ he told him, ‘I’m watching you and if you’re gonna try something like that one more time… I’m warning you that -‘ but at the same moment Filch ran up to them saying:

            ‘Good evening, professors. I’ve found it in the corridor,’ he said, showing them a blue scarf. Impulsively, Rose touched her neck to feel her bare skin. She had no scarf. Harry looked at her, terrified. They started to step back again to after a while touched the door. They were far enough from Filch, Snape and Quirrell so there was no chance they’d catch them especially if they had an Invisibility Cloak on themselves. ‘I was going across there five minutes ago and it wasn’t there. That means someone’s lost it very recently and that means that some student is wandering around the castle…’

            Immediately, the teachers moved along with Filch to head down the corridor and look for a juvenile wanderer. As Rose and Harry were waiting ‘til they disappeared from their sight they could hear Snape’s saying, ‘We’ll manage to catch him! He must be somewhere near…’

            Harry and Rose opened the door leading to a room and pulled the Cloak off themselves. They were breathing heavily as if they already played the hardest Quidditch match in their lifetime.

            ‘Why did I even agree on this?’ Harry asked himself, leaning against the wall. ‘I’ll never do it again.’

            ‘Feel the adrenaline, huh?’ Rose asked, sitting on the marble floor. She had never been to this room before, she didn’t know where they were exactly. She looked around and saw an enormous mirror in a golden frame standing five feet from them. ‘What is it doing in here?’ she asked herself, frowning her eyebrows. Harry stood next to her and look in the same direction.

            ‘A mirror,’ he said, approaching it. He stood in front of it to see his own reflection. ‘It’s just a mirror. Why would someone place it in here?’ he wondered, looking at his reflection. For some reason, he decided to stand closer.

            ‘You can admire yourself now,’ Rose joked but Harry didn’t answer. He was too busy with looking in the mirror and examining the view in front of his eyes. He was able to see six people standing next to him but as he looked around there was no one besides Rose still sitting on the floor in the back.

            Right next to him he could see his parents standing. His ginger-haired mum and the same deep green eyes, smiling at him along with his father who looked exactly like Harry.

            ‘Are you done, Mr Narcissus?’ Rose asked. Her voiced sounded louder from the distance that separated her from Harry.

            ‘Rose, could you come up here and take a look?’ asked he, not looking away from the mirror.

            Surprised the granddaughter of the Headmaster approached the mirror and stood next to Harry. She looked in it but saw only his reflection. ‘And?’ asked she, not being sure what to say.

            ‘Can’t you see them?’ he asked.

            ‘See who?’ she replied with a question, confused. ‘I can see only us. What can you see, Harry?’ but Potter didn’t seem to understand. He was seeing his parents, so why Rose was unable to see them?

            ‘Maybe stand here and look closer,’ he suggested, moving away on his left. Rose was standing just in front of the mirror. ‘And what? Can you see them now?’

            ‘Yes,’ she replied dryly, touching the glass surface of the mirror and staring in it blankly. Tears welled up her eyes as she saw her mum, dad and grandma in front of her. Her mum looked like the older version of Rose, her father was standing still, smiling at his daughter along with his wife and mother-in-law. Her grandma, whom she was seeing for the first time in her life, had fair hair and eyes as brown as a bark.

            ‘And what do you think? This is my mum and this is –‘

            ‘What are you talking about, Harry?’ Rose asked, looking up at him in surprise.

            ‘You said you can see them,’ he noticed. ‘I saw my family and who can you see?’

            ‘My family, Harry,’ she replied, looking away from him back in the mirror.


	11. A Mysterious Revenant In the Forbidden Forest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, hello, hello! After months of not writing and not adding anything here, I'm glad to inform you that finally I've finished chapter eleven and moreover, I'm very satisfied with it. I hope you'll be enjoying it as much as I do and let me know what you think. I've started to write third part of SOtC, you can find it on my profile. So, enjoy!

Harry and Rose returned to the classroom, where Mirror was hidden, many times ‘til the end of winter break. They never had enough of seeing their beloved families. Rose could finally see herself between her mum and dad, them putting their hands on her shoulders and hugging her although she couldn’t feel it.

            One night when they came back to the classroom within the Mirror they were found by Rose’s grandfather who, as it turned out, has been watching them for a very long time. Being present almost each night in the classroom he could observe them both. How they were sitting on the floor, staring at the Mirror or how they changed so one after another could have a private moment with their family.

            ‘And you’re here again,’ they heard some night as they were looking in the Mirror. Abruptly, both of them got up and turned around to see professor Dumbledore. ‘I could see you coming back in here every night.’

            ‘Grandpa, we just –,‘ Dumbledore raised his hand to quiet her.

            ‘Don’t have to explain, Rose,’ he said calmly. ‘It’s not your fault that you let the Mirror of Erised to bewitch you. So, did you manage to find out what the Mirror is?’

            ‘It shows us what we want to see,’ Rose replied. ‘What we haven’t seen in our life but we want to see.’

            ‘Almost. The Mirror shows the deepest desires of your heart. It’s called the Mirror of Desire. You, who have never met your parents, can see them,’ Rose looked back at the Mirror. ‘But please, do not come back here anymore. Many wizards, who were looking in it too long, have lost their minds. That’s why the Mirror will be transported to another place tomorrow,’ Harry and Rose looked at him, surprised. ‘And please, do not look for it ever again.’

            ‘But –,’ Rose wanted to protest but her grandfather gave her a stern look. ‘Yes, grandpa.’

            Dumbledore smiled with a triumph on his face, ‘And now, I’m asking both of you for going to bed. You know how to avoid being caught, you have device,’ he nodded at Invisibility Cloak lying on the floor.

            ‘Grandpa!’ Rose called out before Harry put the Cloak on them. ‘And what do you see in the mirror?’ she asked.

            Dumbledore smiled under his breath and looked towards the Mirror of Erised, then said, ‘I see a pair of woollen socks,’ Rose wrinkled her forehead, ‘No one can have enough socks.’

            ‘But I’ve given them to you for Christmas,’ she noticed when Harry had decided to finally put the Cloak on them. Dumbledore didn’t reply to that remark only continued to look in the mirror. ‘Shh, wait,’ Rose whispered to Harry. ‘Maybe he won’t notice,’ she said as they approached the door, Rose opened them to after a while close. Dumbledore looked at them, his eyebrows raised.

            ‘I still can see you.’

            ‘Oh, how are you doing this?!’ Rose asked, bewildered, with a small tune of pretension in her voice when at the same moment, Harry opened the door and literally pulled her out from the classroom.

            Albus Dumbledore approached the Mirror of Erised and stared at the people in it. His daughter Rosalie, wife Elizabeth and sister Ariana were smiling at him. He sighed, wiping a single tear off his face then said, ‘You have no idea how much I miss you.’

 

*

Winter passed, and behind Hogwarts windows the birds were singing, single buds of flowers bloomed out and the grass slowly started turning green. Nature was coming back to life and the world started to habilitate its colours.

            Rose and her friends were rather concentrated on studying than finding out who Nicolas Flamel was. She and Harry could forget about finding the Mirror although Albus Dumbledore’s granddaughter has tried to convince her friend many times to look for it. Lucky, Harry did not agree, knowing what consequences it might have brought for him. He did not want to be expelled, return to Dursleys and be tormented for the rest of his life as he felt that Hogwarts was his real home.

            ‘Add three branches of vanilla, and stir for five seconds clockwise,’ Rose was reading out loud as she and her friends were sitting in the common room, studying. The young Gryffindors were either sitting in the armchairs or lying, as Harry, on the couch while Rose was sitting on the floor at the table, ‘Then you have to add a pulverised frog’s tongue and kill yourself,’ Rose said suddenly, lying her head on the table. It was almost ten o’clock. ‘I won’t pass it. Stupid potions. Who cares about brewing Hiccoughing Potion or Nosecleered Potion when there are most useful potions?’

            ‘For instance?’ asked Harry.

            ‘The Draught of Living Death, or Felix Felicis for instance, or a Sleeping Draught.’

            Hermione rolled her eyes at their conversation and returned to reading her book on Transfiguration.

            ‘Is life real?’ Rose asked suddenly. Everyone looked up at her weirdly. ‘I mean – what if we do not live but dream? What if that our subconscious mind creates everything and none of you is real but you’re only creation of my mind?’

            ‘What if you’re not real and you’re a creation of my mind?’ Ron asked, pondering.

            ‘Jesus,’ Hermione said, irritated, getting up from her seat. Closed her book and went to the dormitory, shutting the door. The three of wizards stared at the closed door for a while, then Harry said to Rose:

            ‘You’re tired. Go to sleep.’

            On the next day, Rose had no classes. She was so exhausted that even did not fatigue to go to the toilet although she needed to. Her eyes closed again as she had opened them to check what time it was. It was quarter to nine. She closed her eyes once more and did not even notice when she fell asleep.

            As she got up and got dressed, she went down for breakfast to the Great Hall. In the afternoon there was supposed to be a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Rose was discussing with Ron and Harry the match while Hermione seemed to think only about exams.

            ‘Will you – stop?’ Rose asked, turning her eyes on her. ‘I know you care and they’re important for you but for Merlin’s sake, Hermione, today’s Saturday. Relax just over the weekend.’

            ‘Rose’s right,’ Ron said. ‘You should chill a bit. Think about today’s match. I hope we’ll win. If we do, we’ll get the House Cup for sure. Just Rose, please, don’t get in trouble. We don’t need to lose any more points.’

            ‘Hey, I do not get in trouble. That trouble find me –‘

            ‘Hey, that’s my line!’ Harry called out, jokingly nudging Rose who smiled in response.

            ‘Well, you better concentrate on upcoming match and not on what you’re supposed to say each time someone catches you wandering around the castle after hours.’

            ‘Ouch!’

            To everyone’s surprise it turned out to be Snape who was a referee during the match. While Harry was chasing Cedric Diggory, who had seen the Golden Snitch as first, Rose was observing the players from the ground. She always wanted to be like them, to fly the broom as a professional, or at least join the Quidditch team.

            She did not even notice when Snape whistled to announce that Gryffindor had won the match. She had been roused from her meditations by a whistle and cheers of applauding students. Along with her friends decided to wait for Harry but he was not coming. Why was not he coming?

            ‘He’s not here,’ said Ron after searching through the crowd. ‘Where has he gone?’

 

*

 

‘Harry! Where have you been?’ Hermione called out, standing along with Rose at the other side of the fifth-floor corridor. They were discussing magical creatures that Rose once wanted to find while Harry James Potter was running towards them and having approached them he panted, ‘Snape’s after the Thing.’

            ‘Merlin,’ Rose rolled her eyes, ‘Here we go again…’

            ‘No, it’s true! I know it is! Listen, I was following Snape after the match and he was sabotaging Quirrell. He was threatening to him that if he wouldn’t tell him how to get around the dog it’ll end tragically for him. So, I ran to Hagrid to tell him and guess what! Guess what!’ the witches gave him a questioning look and both shrugged their shoulders. ‘He's bought Fluffy from a guy in a pub, along with his dragon –‘

            ‘Hagrid’s got a dragon?’ asked Hermione, dumbfounded. ‘I thought breeding dragons on your own is illegal,’ she looked and Rose who only confirmed her in her opinion. All of the sudden, Rose face went shiny as if she had realised the most obvious thing in the whole Universe.

            ‘That’s why I saw him with the book on dragons last time…’

            ‘What?’ asked they at once. ‘When?’

            ‘I don’t remember. Last time when I was in the library searching … stuff.’

            ‘But hey, Snape was the one who sold him the dragon and Fluffy. That’s why, it is here. So Snape would easily get around it and get the Thing which’s under the trapdoor.’

            ‘But it doesn’t make sense,’ Rose said, her left eyebrow raised. ‘Why would he sell the dog to Hagrid if he doesn’t know how to bypass it?’

            ‘No, Harry’s right. Look Rose, it perfectly makes sense,’ Hermione started to explain. ‘Snape sold Fluffy to Hagrid because he knows what’s under the trapdoor. Professor Quirrell is one of the teachers who knows how to get around Fluffy. Of course, Snape wouldn’t threaten McGonagall or others, because it’d be too obvious but Quirrell is … Quirrell. Harry, has he told him how to get around Fluffy?’

            ‘No, he hasn’t.’

            ‘So, Snape tried to get the information from Quirrell. He had known your grandpa would need protection for whatever is under that trapdoor.’

            ‘This doesn’t sound reasonable enough to convince me. I’m not stupid.’

            ‘Do you suggest that I am?’ asked Hermione, outraged, folding her hands across her chest and giving Rose a glowering look.

            ‘No, no. It’s just – Look, professor Snape is my uncle. He’s my godfather, I can’t believe and won’t believe he’d ever do something like that,’ she confessed, looking at them both with concern. ‘I know you may think so, because he hates you but –‘

            ‘But what, Rose?’ asked Harry as if he was unable to believe that those words did come from his friend’s mouth. ‘You know what he’s like! All school hates him, everyone knows what he’s like, people hate him and he hates the students. He always wanted to get DADA teacher’s post. I’m not surprised he’s threatening Quirrell and we have to do something about it.’ The granddaughter of Hogwarts headmaster sighed loudly.

            ‘What do you suggest, Harry Potter?’ she asked.

            ‘Remember Nicolas Flamel? I know who he is. I knew I had read about him somewhere,’ the boy pulled out a card with moving Dumbledore out of his pocket and gave it to Rose. ‘He was working on Philosopher’s Stone with your grandfather. He’s managed to get the extract out of it and got immortal. That’s why Snape wants it. That’s why he wants to find out so badly how to bypass Fluffy,’ then he turned back to Rose, ‘Rose, do you remember when we were wandering around the castle that night and saw Snape threatening to Quirrell?’ Rose nodded sadly. Everything was against her uncle, everything pointed that it was him who was guilty. ‘Or do you remember Halloween? I told you I had seen Snape’s leg bleed. This is the reason Snape went to the dog that night, and this is what’s under the trapdoor, why he’s been sabotaging Quirrell all that time. The Philosopher’s Stone.

            ‘I told Ron everything. He promised to write his brother to ask for help in case of Norbert,’ the witches looked at him questioningly. ‘Hagrid’s dragon. He called it Norbert and when it happens we’ll go under the trapdoor.’

            ‘Harry, no! We have no idea how to get around Fluffy and what’s under the trapdoor. There might be some spells we don’t know, or traps you have to get around first to find the Stone,’ Hermione noticed.

            ‘Hagrid told me that every teacher’s cast a spell and created a trap for a person who’d want to go after the Stone. No one besides him and your grandpa, Rose, knows how to get around Fluffy.’

            ‘This case is – no, guys. We should leave it, we really should. I think Ron was right, saying we should have kept away from it. What if someone gets hurt? And besides, Hagrid won’t tell us how to bypass Fluffy, and I can’t just go to my grandpa and ask him, ‘ _Hey, grandpa. Can you tell me how can I get around that three-headed dog in the third-floor corridor? You know, in the forbidden corridor you’ve banned all students to enter.’_

            ‘She’s right,’ said Hermione. ‘What do we do? Hagrid won’t tell us anything.’

            ‘He already told me,’ Harry confessed. Literally, after one second Rose started to tell him off for not telling them that earlier, so they could save their precious time and get to work. ‘I had no idea that it will matter, but I received a flute from Hagrid as a Christmas gift. So, all we have to do is to play Fluffy something that will keep him asleep.’

            ‘Alright,’ Rose said all of the sudden with confidence in her eyes. ‘I’m in. Hermione?’ the witch nodded. ‘But what about the dragon? We can’t let Hagrid alone with it. If someone finds out he might get sacked. As far as I’m concerned my grandpa has already stood up for him once, and what if he won’t be able to do anything this time? We don’t want Hagrid to be sacked.’

            ‘We need to talk to him as soon as possible.’

            ‘We have to sneak out, otherwise we won’t manage to get under the trapdoor tonight, and save Hagrid from being sacked.’

*

Unfortunately, their plan has not gone as well as they had expected it to go. On their way back from the Astronomy Tower, as had given dragon to Ron’s brother who took it to Romania, they came across a caretaker Filch and Draco Malfoy. They had left the Invisibility Cloak in the Astronomy Tower and were unable to get it back as Filch was already leading them to professor McGonagall’s chambers. She had never been furious with Rose so much before, the girl felt stupid. Hermione felt even more foolish when they lost fifty points from their house and all of them received detentions. The only good thing about all of it was seeing Draco Malfoy getting detention as well, and his shocked face expression.

            ‘Damn you, Malfoy,’ Rose hissed behind his back as Filch was leading them in the darkness towards Hagrid’s hut. ‘You’ll pay us for this, you disgusting rat-faced –‘

            ‘SILENCE!’

            ‘My father will hear about this!’

            ‘Loser.’

            ‘Mr Filch, she’s insulting me!’ Draco called out to the caretaker. ‘This is unacceptable!’ Judging on Argus’s face expression he was doing his best not to burst into rage and hit Malfoy. Not once he mentioned how much he missed times when it was allowed to hang students for their hands from the ceiling in the dungeons. Harry and Ron, together with Rose and Hermione were looking at each other with fear. Rose did not expect Argus Filch to treat students this way, even though she had heard unfavourable opinions about him. She was rather surprised that Filch was treating her like any other normal student, not the Headmaster’s granddaughter. She knew that probably her grandfather had asked the teachers many times to treat Rose as equal to others.

            ‘Where are we going?’ asked Malfoy.

            ‘To the darkest nook of this world,’ Rose said, smiling mischievously. ‘We’ll have to face our worst fears and defeat them. Otherwise,’ she approached Draco and looked into his eyes, ‘we’ll all perish in pain and blood.’

            Rose smiled even wider as she saw how much she had managed to scare the Slytherin. At that moment, she was proud of herself like when she had been seven and had managed to conjure her Patronus and her grandfather called that big achievement.

            They came to a halt in front of the Hagrid’s hut. Filch approached the door and knocked to after a while they could see it opening and Hagrid coming out along with Fang by his side.

            ‘Good evening, Hagrid.’

            ‘Gud evenin’. Hullo, kids.’

            ‘Hey, Hagrid,’ they replied, smiling thinly. Hagrid having been informed before about four young students coming to help him with work in the Forbidden Forest. He eyed all of them up and down, then turned his eyes on Filch.

            ‘Give them a harsh lesson, Hagrid. Teach them what happens to embezzlers like them,’ Rose rolled her eyes, then shook her head. ‘Have a painful work. We’ll see if you come back, goodnight.’

            While Hagrid was turning off the lights in his hut and shutting the door, four young wizards were watching walking towards the castle Filch. As he was going deeper into the darkness of the night, the only thing that was giving a sign of him was the lantern he was holding. After a while, the light disappeared and in front of their eyes there was only darkness.

            As they turned around they saw Hagrid holding a long bow in one hand, and a lantern in another. Rose looked at Fang which seemed tired, judging on his panting.

            ‘Hagrid – but – he was joking, right?’ asked Ron, scared.

            ‘Of co’se he wazz,’ he replied, giving him a warm smile. ‘Ho’d this fo’ me, Harry,’ Hagrid said, giving the lantern to Potter. ‘That’s better, much better. It’s difficult to carry two things at the same time, especially with this,’ he nodded at the bow. ‘Ready? We’ve job to do. Follow me!’

            Rose looked at Hermione understandingly, then nodded at Draco. As Hermione saw later on Malfoy was almost shivering with fear. She could hear her friend giggle, but nudged her softly, pretending to telling her off at the same time. Rose was able to do nothing but laugh.

            ‘Hagrid, what kind of job did you mean?’ asked Harry as they were heading towards the dense area of trees.

            ‘Somethin’s ‘rong in da fo’est. I wanna check it, you know? Last time, I found a dead unicorn. Unicorns a’e dyin’ massively, dunno why. That’s why we ar’ goin’ the’e to find out.’

            ‘But don’t you have any suspicions what might be killing them?’ asked Hermione, looking up at the Gatekeeper.

            ‘Not r’lly.’

            ‘I thought that the first-years are banned to enter the Forbidden Forest. I’ve heard it’s very dangerous –‘

            ‘Nothing will happen to you when you’re with Hagrid,’ Harry informed Malfoy, looking at him pathetically. Hagrid gave him a warm smile, the warmest he could ever gave to anyone, and thanked him. While they were going deep into the forest Rose was admiring the branches of trees, trying to spot any interested thing but without her wand she could barely see in that darkness.

            ‘Hagrid, but theoretically what if something happens to one of us?’ asked Rose, looking around. ‘We have no wands to defend ourselves in case if –‘

            ‘Don’t even think ‘bout it, Rose. Nothin’ can harm you ‘ere, especially when you ar’ with me.’ Although it was quite reasonable question Hermione was also thinking about, Rose did not push on. When they came to a halt under an enormous oak Hagrid told them, ‘We separate. He’mione, Ron ar’ goin’ with me. Harry, Rose, you ar’ goin’ with Malfoy.’

            The two Gryffindors gave him pleading looks, but Hagrid remained adamant about that. It was obvious that he did not want to go with Malfoy as he had to concentrate on the task everyone had to do, and trusted Rose and Harry enough to confide them Malfoy.

            ‘If so I want the dog!’ said Draco.

            ‘Al’right, but mind ya that Fang is a coward.’ The dog scowled silently as Malfoy had looked down at him. ‘Gud luck,’ were the last words he had told them before they separated. Fang was walking by their side, guiding them as he knew the Forbidden Forest very well, and knew which way would be the safest to go.

            ‘I can’t believe they sent us here to help this deaf-oak. On our own. In the middle of the night. Wait, ‘til my father will hear about this. Your grandfather will regret it, and teachers, and –‘

            ‘Shut up!’ Rose shouted, not being able to stand Malfoy talking anymore. Her voice had echoed around the forest, so Harry thought that it’d be locate them easier if they scream.

            ‘Malfoy, try to concentrate on the task. The sooner we find the unicorn the better,’ Harry noticed. ‘We have to just find it and let Hagrid know, then we can go back to the castle. Besides, you heard Hagrid saying that nothing can happen to us here.’

            ‘Yeah, sure. Trusting him would be the last thing I’d do in my life.’

            ‘And you, calm down,’ Harry told his friend walking next to him. ‘Calm down. I don’t like him either, but try to ignore him. Remember, we’re doing this for Hagrid. To help him, alright?’ Rose breathed out air and nodded twice. ‘Great, let’s go. We’ve to find this unicorn.’

            At that moment, Rose started to appreciate Harry even more. She had never heard such smart words from his mouth before, and she had to admit that he had impressed her. She would never suspect him of having intellect. Was roused from her meditations by Draco Malfoy who had come to a halt so abruptly that Rose almost cannon into him.

            ‘What is it this time?’ Draco pointed at the thing in the distance. Fang barked twice, attracting attention of a figure leaning over the dead unicorn. As it turned around Malfoy screamed and together with Fang ran away.

            Rose was standing next to her friend who was not looking away from the cloaked figure. The Gryffindors were able to see silver unicorn’s blood which was dripping down the creature’s mouth. Rose had seen it, but could not say whether those were teeth or their remains. Instinctively, she grabbed Harry’s hand. Both of them knew that they were unable to defend themselves without wands. ‘Run,’ Harry said immediately.

            Petrified, they were running away from the creature that had decided to chase them. At some point, Rose stumbled and fall onto the ground. Harry turned around to help her get up, but at the very same moment she felt a grip on her left leg. It was the revenant which had been chasing them and now, had Rose. She let out a scream, crying for help. Harry let her hand go and threw himself on the creature to drag it away from his friend, but it was stronger than he had expected.

            ‘HARRY!’ Rose yelled as saw her friend being pushed at the root of the tree that was growing out from the ground. Had no idea what to do and how to help him, she was helpless without wand. As she was about to throw herself at the cloaked figure, swoosh and next clop of the hooves. It was a centaur, who leaped out behind the trees and chase the creature away. Rose was looking with her lips wide open as the creature flew up in the air and escaped.

            ‘Harry!’ she called out, running towards him to hug him next. ‘Are you okay?’ she asked, examining her friend with her gaze.

            ‘Are you alright?’ asked Firenzo, worried. Rose and Harry nodded, breathing loudly and hugging each other. It did not last long until Hagrid along with Ron, Hermione, Malfoy, and Fang by his side arrived at the place.


End file.
